PESHAWAR, Sept 17: Two separate inquiry committees have begun probe into the allegations of sexual abuse of students at a local higher secondary school by some teachers which has been going on for over two decades.

The committee constituted by the education department has been conducting a departmental inquiry against some teachers and staff members.

This three-member body led by Haleem Shirazi, principal of the Government High School No. 1, Peshawar Cantonment, on Tuesday met various staffers of the concerned Government Higher Secondary School N0.3, Peshawar.

While the committee comprising parents has already met many people including former students of the school. This body was formed on the special directive of provincial education minister Fazal Ali and is headed by Aurangzeb Khan, president of the teachers and parents association of the school.

“Since I assumed charge as principal of this school in May 2002, I have been keeping a vigilant eye on some of the teachers who are notorious for sexual abuse of students,” said principal of the school, Ubaidullah Khan.

He told Dawn that he strictly warned that group of teachers and students not to remain in the school during vacations or after school timings. “While I was conducting my own inquiry and about to take an action against those teachers, the government constituted an inquiry committee for probe into the issue,” he added.

Mr Khan said the education standard of the school had also deteriorated due to these activities and only 16 to 18 per cent of the students could manage to pass the matriculation examination. But now, he added, the result improved up to 60 per cent.

Some sources at the school said the ring leader of the gang involved in immoral activities was a senior teacher who joined the school in late 1970s. His activities continued unabated and later on two more teachers joined him. A watchman and clerk were also stated to be involved in these sexual activities.

Some staffers claimed that during last more than two decades, a number of students had left education or this school due to the activities of these teachers. The ring leader adopted different tactics to lure students and when they did not accept his immoral demands, he resorted to severe corporal punishment to them.

The issue surfaced when a former student informed a local lawyer that he had left the school due to the immoral activities of some teachers. The lawyer informed the officials concerned and some newsmen about the happenings at the school.

Parents inquiry committee chairman Aurangzeb Khan told Dawn that they had been conducting the inquiry with dedication so as to put forward a comprehensive report.

The committee, he said, was facing some problems in the inquiry as due to the stigma attached to such acts, none of the students came forward to concede that he had fallen prey to those sexual activities.