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The National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) has revealed that a primary school student who was assaulted by a teacher continues to be traumatised more than three years later while the educator in question remains employed to the Kingston-based school.
Making a presentation to the Joint Select Committee reviewing the Jamaica Teaching Council Bill on Wednesday, NPTAJ representative Donovan Mayne said the teacher pleaded guilty and was given a suspended sentence.
However, he said the principal of the school has not made a report to the board on the matter.
Mr. Mayne said the incident had been reported to the previous education minister, Karl Samuda, from 2019, but the situation still exists.
"I can tell you that that little boy, when he saw the teacher come back into the school, he actually peed himself. He's still going under therapy," Mr. Mayne reported, as he again urged the ministry to intervene.
The NPTAJ representative said there have been similar situations at other schools and said these incidents underscore the need for criminal background checks as outlined in the JTC Bill.
According to Mr. Mayne, the provision in the bill removes the responsibility to act from school boards.
But he also wants disciplinary matters to go directly to the Jamaica Teaching Council and not to school boards or the Ministry of Education.
He reasoned that if someone makes a report to a principal, "the principal is going to sit on it, make sure they breach all of the regulations, to ensure that is it thrown out when it goes to court".
Responding to the specific case raised by the NPTAJ about the convicted teacher, Education Minister Fayval Williams said she will be looking into the issue.
"As you are describing it, it really sounds strange to me and that is something that I will take up back at the ministry," she said, noting that the ministry's legal counsel "is not aware of it".
Mr. Mayne has promised to provide the information on the case to the ministry on Thursday morning.
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