Save our children from being abused in schools!

The ignominious trend of the teaching vocation degenerating into the vice of sexual molestation and abuse of schoolchildren is  inconceivable and outrageous. It was just a few days ago that  we  witnessed a demonstration staged regarding the tragic  death of a young schoolgirl in Kotahena, who committed suicide due to the  trauma and shame caused to her  allegedly by a lustful mathematics teacher in school. The hapless girl was abused and shamed  to the extent that she had to endure this agony and was driven to a state of depression;  she had no other recourse but to put an end to her life. 

Now comes another scandalous episode of a geography teacher in a school in Devinuwara who was arrested over the alleged sexual abuse of  a 14  year old student. The 39 year old teacher had not only abused this young girl but had even deluded her with  a promise  that he will marry her after divorcing his wife.  This goes to show the mentality of some teachers, who think that they  have the power and the liberty to abuse their students to gratify their lustful desires.

We have now a new breed of teachers or pedagogues who have morphed into paedophiles. It is a wake-up call to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, the  Ministry of Education, and  also the various past pupils associations of the relevant schools to take a greater interest in the welfare of our schoolchildren, and to act with a sense of responsibility to save our younger generation from this despicable act.

Don Peter

Dehiwela.