North Kashmir: 2 teachers suspended for alleged immoral activities

Authorities placed two teachers of a government high school in north Kashmir under suspension on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in immoral activities.

The suspension order was issued by the deputy chief education officer Kupwara after a complaint was registered in his office by some local residents. As per the order, the two teachers including a physical education teacher (names withheld) have been placed under suspension.

   

However, the suspended teacher has been attached with middle school Dogripora, while the physical education teacher has been attached with high school Hengnikot Villgam.

The order was issued after a team of officials visited the school, sources said.

“In response to representation received from residents of village Hangha that a group of teachers are involved in immoral activities in government high school Hangha Mawer, a surprise visit was made to the school and by the support(ed) material it is perceived that the complaint is genuine,” the order reads.

Further, a two member committee comprising principal GHSS Handwara and lecturer BHSS Zachaldara, has been constituted to probe the matter.

“The committee will put forth its report along with recommendations within seven days for necessary action,” the order reads.

This is not a single case wherein teachers have been accused of immoral activities. Incidents of sexual harassment by the teachers have earlier also been reported.

In May 2017, a government teacher was arrested by the police on the allegations of molestation and was lodged at police station Magam. “The teacher was arrested after two girls from government high school Kawoosa Khalisa in Narbal education zone had approached the local police complaining that they were molested by their school teacher,” sources said.

In June 2016, a teacher was arrested on charges of molesting a teenage student of 8th class at government middle school Kowai Bagh, Kakapora in Pulwama.

In Aug 2015, a teacher was arrested on the charges of molesting a ninth class student in central Kashmir’s Khag tehsil. The accused teachers was posted at government higher secondary school Khag and was arrested after parents of the victim along with the village head had lodged a complaint at police station Khag alleging that their daughter had been molested by the teacher in the school.

In July 2015, a government middle school was locked down by angry residents of Kreeri village in district Baramulla after it was alleged that a teacher had made a molestation bid on a sixth standard student.

According to some teachers, all the incidents of sexual harassment in schools don’t get highlighted due to family pressure. “In some cases, the family doesn’t want to highlight the issue fearing it would affect the reputation of the girl students,” they said.

A teacher said even if any case gets exposed, the accused teacher is suspended for few weeks and “later the matter gets hushed up.”

“The teacher is transferred from the school and is reinstated after a while,” he said.  

Director, school education Kashmir (DSEK) G N Itoo didn’t respond to repeated calls from this newspaper.

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