Sexual Harassment Grips Model School
Government Model Secondary School at Berry Street in Freetown was the scene of turmoil when parents and pupils turned on the school administration for what they refer to as a move to put a stop to the madness that is going on in the school, alleging that their female children are subjected to sexual and various forms of harassment and abuse.
Female pupils who spoke to Sierra Express Media confirmed this allegation, and further revealed that young teachers in the school are a threat to their education as they are every now and then holding them to ransom for sex in exchange for grades. “For us here it is sex for grades,” a rather brave pupil, who pleaded for anonymity, proclaimed angrily.
According to the pupils, the teachers usually inform them after any test or exam that they have woefully failed, even though they might have excelled. “We are then told that if we want to pass, we should see them at their house or in a guest house and if you don’t cooperate you see your classmates having grades that cannot be accounted for and you are left wondering how,” she added.
The angry parents who stormed the school campus registered grave dissatisfaction for the many complaints they received from their wards about sexual harassment and extortion of money by teachers in exchange for grades in the school. “We sent our children to learn and not to be used in the trade of sex for grades,” a mother identified as Mariatu Bangura fumed as she headed for the Principal’s Office.
The aggrieved parents and guardians also alleged among other things that the teachers are in the habit of cruelly flogging and extorting monies from pupils for no just reasons. According to the parents, what ignited the problem was when one of the teachers, Mr. Albert Sesay maliciously beat a pupil of JSS III on the grounds that the girl did not do her assignment but that the very reason for his action was embedded on the fact that the pupil failed to pay for a pamphlet he distributed among them for compulsory payment.
The young lady was said to have been mercilessly beaten with lash marks on her arms and legs.
Further allegations are that the current principal does not seem to have the clout and idea to put the school in order and teachers that are not happy with lawlessness and the ugly state of affairs say that something must be done to reverse the trend if sanity is to return to the school.
Also, the administration of the school is said to be chaotic as teachers reportedly receive fees and make illegal admissions without producing receipts of payment for fees paid.
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