A video currently circulating of students from Ted Diro Primary School in Port Moresby allegedly assaulting a teacher must be investigated, says the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC).
Commission chairman Samson Wangihomie said students, who claimed that the teacher had earlier hit one of them, should not take such retaliatory action.
Whether the students are, or the teacher is, at fault, students should always report the matter to the head teacher who will decide on disciplinary action to take.
I would like to make a call to the administration of the school concerned to submit a report to the commission and I am also calling on the NCD Education Division to conduct investigation into this matter.
Mr Wangihomie
The three minute video shows Ted Diro Primary School students surrounding the teacher outside the school area. A student is seen throwing punches at the teacher’s head. The teacher then runs onto the road. As he stands up, another student throws a punch at his face.
The teacher then runs into the PNG Power Limited (PPL) headquarters for cover.
When The National visited the school this week, the head teacher (named) confirmed that the incident happened last week.
Hohola Police Station commander, Senior Inspector Titus Bayagu, confirmed that they attended to the incident last week but no arrest had been made.
Bayagu said three (3) grade seven (7) boys, one (1) grade six (6) boy and one (1) grade five (5) boy were involved in the assault against Amos James; a grade three (3) teacher.
Police have suggested to the school to organize a “mediation”.
Wagihomie said the National Capital District Education Board (NCDEB) must investigate the incident.
Meanwhile, the NCD Education Services acting assistant secretary Sam Lora said his office was not aware of the incident until The National sought his comments yesterday.
He said such matters should have been reported to his office by the school administration, especially when a video showing the attack on the teacher by students had been going viral on social media.
He explained that the schools have rules for minor and major offenses. And there are procedures the school’s disciplinary committee must follow to decide on the disciplinary action against the party at fault.
He said if the matter was serious, a harsher penalty such as a suspension, termination and expulsion would be applied. But if it was not too serious, then a lighter penalty would be meted out.
But all that would be made based on the written statements by the teacher and the students.
Sam Lora
He said he was against the idea of students attacking teachers which should be discouraged.