School is supposed to be second home to a child and it is to the care of teachers and principals that parents entrust the formative years of their children. But a series of shocking incidents of sexual abuse involving teachers and principals have acted as an eye opener to relevant authorities.
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| Menaca Calyaneratne: Monitor not only academic performance of teachers and principals but also their behaviour too |
In the most recent incident a 47-year-old male principal was arrested for sexually abusing five girls in Marawila, in the North-Western Province.
In January this year, a teacher of a leading school in Veyangoda was suspended and the principal transferred following an inquiry by the Education Ministry after reports that female students were sexually abused by the teacher.In another case this year, a 53-year-old vice principal was arrested by Ududumbara police for allegedly showing pornographic films on his computer to students and molesting two students aged 13 and 15.
A government education department official in Hingurakgoda, was taken into custody on charges of sexually abusing two teenage girls over a period of four years The suspect was remanded. According to police the suspect had first committed the offence when the girls were 12 years old, now they are 16.
In 2011, a principal of a school in Madampe, Chilaw who allegedly abused two Grade 5 students was arrested by the Chilaw police.
Last year also saw a male Physical Training Instructor (PTI) of a school arrested by Hanwella police for allegedly getting 10 boys to participate in sexual activities, both within the school in the sports room and without, in motels.
In another case in 2011, the Chavakachcheri Magistrate instructed police to look into allegations that teachers in several southern Jaffna schools were sexually abusing students.
Children attending tuition classes too are victims of abuse, the Sunday Times learns.
In March this year, police arrested a 35-year-old male tuition teacher in Bodhirama Viharaya, Kotahena for allegedly abusing an 11 year-old boy.
Meanwhile, National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) Chairperson Anoma Dissanayake said discussions are being held with the Education Ministry to appoint ‘child protection committees’ comprising parents, teachers and students in all schools.
Stressing the importance of giving psycho-social training to teachers who act as student counsellors in schools, Ms. Dissanayake also said that they were working out a scheme to register all individuals who work with children. “In countries like Australia, there is a ‘blue card’ system known as ‘Working with Children Check’ whereby anyone’s criminal history can be looked into. Lack of communication between children and parents can make children easy prey to those who approach them for sexual favours,” she said.
Police spokesman SP Ajith Rohana said a pilot project was ongoing in the High Courts of Polonnaruwa, Gampaha and Anuradhapura where judgments on child abuse cases have to be delivered within three months.
The Attorney General’s Department, Justice Ministry, Police, Judicial Medical Officers are working together in this project aimed at speeding up the justice system when it comes to child victims.
In addition to enforcing laws, the police are also involved in conducting awareness programmes in schools, he said.
Child rights organization, Save the Children Director (Advocacy), Menaca Calyaneratne commenting on this issue said the quality, commitment and discipline of educationists have dropped drastically, probably due to multiple recruitment processes that prevail in the education system.
“The perpetrators are what we call professional abusers, who choose a particular field of work which gives them unhindered access and opportunity to abuse children. They select the profession which they want to be in by the time they reach their early twenties in order to abuse children,” she said, adding that there must be proper supervision of teachers and principals, not only regarding their academic and administrative performance but also their behaviour. |
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