Rights panel seeks report on sexual abuse of students

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, February 20

Taking suo motu cognisance of The Tribune report (‘Sexual abuse: DIET students accuse Education Dept of inaction’, February 15), the Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) today told the Secretary, School Education, to submit a report about the case by April 10.

The Director, State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), has already sought details of the case from the office of the Circle Education Officer (CEO), Faridkot.

An inquiry had found six male teachers of the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Muktsar, prima facie guilty of exploiting girl students. The inquiry officer had recommended shifting of these teachers, but the Education Department failed to do the needful, the students had alleged, while threatening to end their lives.

In a complaint to the CM, Education Minister, SCERT Director, Circle Education Officer and the Director General School Education (DGSE), these students alleged that the teachers were forcing them to submit to their sexual advances by threatening them with marking poor internal assessment and shortage of attendance.

The inquiry was conducted by the principal of a government girls school last year. In her findings, she stated that second-year students of DIET were terrorised and could not muster courage to name any erring teacher.

The Faridkot Circle Education Officerhad submitted the probe report to the Director, Education (Secondary), in September 2017.

In another complaint, some students of DIET, Bathinda, had alleged that two inspecting teachers of DIET, Faridkot, had demanded sexual favours from them for giving high marks in practical exams.

The DIETs operate under the SCERT at the district level. Every DIET has 150 to 200 students and over 75 per cent of these students are girls, mostly from economically poor families.