TEAM HERALD
VASCO: Insisting that all steps were taken as soon as the alleged molestation of an eight-year-old girl student by the physical education teacher was reported on November 25, 2014, the management of the Vasco school confirmed that the teacher had already been suspended in this connection.
When contacted, the school management sought to dispel the notion that the school had done nothing in the matter for five weeks, from the time the incident is reported to have taken place till the time that the girl’s mother filed a police complaint on Saturday.
“The incident of alleged misbehaviour by Samuel Vinod Kumar, primary school teacher, towards a student that occurred on November 24, 2014, was brought to the notice of the headmistress on November 25, 2014 by the parents of the student in a written complaint,” stated an official of the school management.
“The management then swung into action and issued a show cause notice to the teacher on November 26, 2014 to reply within 48 hours. The teacher denied the charges and thereafter a preliminary enquiry was conducted.”
“The school managing committee (the disciplinary authority for school employees) was convened for an emergency meeting on December 2, 2014. The report of the headmistress and evidence collected in course of preliminary inquiry was considered and it was unanimously resolved to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the teacher as well as to place him under immediate suspension.”
“Accordingly, the teacher was placed under suspension by an order issued on December 4, 2014, within six working days of the incident being reported to the management. The suspension was approved by the director of education by an order dated December 12, 2014 after hearing the teacher for period of six months, within which time the inquiry was directed to be completed,” stated the school official.
The school management added that the teacher was chargesheeted by the managing committee on December 22, 2014 and added that his reply denying the charges was received on January 1, 2015.
“The appointment order of an inquiry authority was issued on the same day (January 1, 2015), and departmental inquiry will commence. The management has demonstrated its zero-tolerance towards such conduct by its employees and that it will deal strictly in such matters,” the school management added.
Refuting claims by a PTA member that CCTVs were not installed in the school premises, the school official clarified that CCTV “was installed at all vantage points within the school campus in July 2013.”
“Secondly, the management informed the school PTA chairman of the complaint received against the teacher,” added the school management.
When asked why it had taken five weeks for a police complaint to be filed against the teacher, the official said the management never shied away from approaching the police, but declined to comment further.
