Lahore's MAO College student accuses teacher of sexual harassment
The incident came to light when the victim reported the incident to Punjab colleges assistant director
September 09, 2021
- Victim claims a male teacher has been harassing her and another fellow student.
- MAO College principal says only one student reported the alleged harassment.
- The inquiry committee suggests that the teacher who has been accused should be transferred to a boys' college.
LAHORE: A female student of the Government Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College has accused a male teacher of sexual harassment, Geo News reported Thursday.
The victim, who is a student of the psychology department in the MAO College, has reported the alleged harassment to the Punjab Colleges Assistant Director who was visiting the college, saying that a male teacher has been harassing her and another fellow student.
“The teacher sent inappropriate messages and asked us to meet him outside the college’s premises if we want to get good marks,” claimed the student.
At this, the official asked the students to submit a complaint to the college principal, upon which the students told him that they had already done so.
Responding to the student’s claim, the college principal said only one student had reported the alleged harassment and the rest of her fellows were those who recorded their statements for the inquiry.
The principal further stated that a five-member inquiry committee, headed by a professor and two female teachers, was formed in response to the complaint.
A report prepared by the committee suggested that the accused teacher should be transferred to a boys' college. The suggestion has been sent to the provincial education department.
Moreover, a report to take action against the teacher in question under the Punjab Employees Efficiency Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act was sent to the education secretary but no progress has been made in this regard.
An action against the alleged harasser can be taken under the PEEDA Act in case the harassment is proved.
Another incident was reported in MAO College back in 2019 when a lecturer was accused of similar charges. The lecturer was declared innocent in the inquiry but the principal did not issue a letter to affirm it.
As a result, the lecturer had committed suicide.
