…ministries to probe allegations against teacher

ACTION will be taken by the Ministry of Education to have matters of sexual misconduct investigated and dealt with accordingly, Minister of Education Nicolette Henry has said.
She was speaking on the allegations against a Bishops’ High School teacher, who has since denied sexually abusing students of the said school.

“I know these things can get sensational at times, but the world in which we live, matters like that ought to be raised and ought to be dealt with very seriously and condignly and that is the ministry’s intention, to deal with the matter in the appropriate way using existing and appropriate channels that exist and, so we will activate the process and take the necessary steps,” Minister Henry told the Department of Public Information (DPI).

Further, Minister Henry says regardless of its nature, misconduct will not be tolerated, and reports of such will be investigated according to established procedures. “Anything considered outside of good discipline and good conduct will have to be dealt with by the ministry, sexual and otherwise. There are procedures to deal with these issues.”

The Ministry of Social Protection also in a statement said it is aware of the allegations levelled against a senior teacher at the Bishops’ High School. The matter, the ministry said is currently under investigations and “the ministry is actively involved in this process. The Ministry takes these complaints seriously and holds paramount the protection of our nation’s children,” the statement read.

A formal complaint against the 38-year-old teacher was submitted to the Chief Education Officer (CEO), Marcel Hutson, by Cultural Policy Advisor at the Education Ministry, Ruel Johnson, who called for, among other things, the teacher’s suspension.

Johnson’s letter of complaint was copied to the Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry; the Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan; the Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally; the Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence; the Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams; and the Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton.