ISLAMABAD: A man who has been accused of sexually harassing students from Bahria College during a practical examination has previously been accused of harassing students in 2014.

The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) on Wednesday moved a summary to the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) to suspend the accused teacher.

FDE Director General Hasnat Qureshi said: “We came to know that this teacher was also accused by students of the Army Public School in 2014.

“An inquiry was conducted after that complaint that exonerated him of all charges.”

He said a two-member inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the latest accusation and has been asked to submit its report within a week.

Many underage students at Bahria College on Tuesday reported that they had been sexually harassed by the invigilator at their biology practical.

The incident was raised on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

MNA Saman Sultana Jafri said the matter was sensitive, as an invigilator has been accused of harassing underage girls. She demanded an investigation into the matter.

The students took to social media to report the alleged harassment by an invigilator, a lecturer at the Federal Postgraduate College in H-9.

One student posted on Facebook that she had been groped and inappropriately touched by the invigilator during her exam on May 24.

A student said he had passed inappropriate comments “which were really disgusting”, while another said the invigilator had “touched me like hell, as if I belong to him”.

The FDE director general said assigning teachers duties for examinations is the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education’s (FBISE) responsibility.

“Personally, I think this teacher should not have been appointed in a girls’ college for practical examinations,” he said.

In a complaint lodged with the FBISE on May 28, the principal of Bahria College Iqbal Javaid said: “It is reported with serious concern that [the accused], who conducted practical examination on 24, 26 and 27 May, sexually harassed a number of students during practical examination (trying/ touched their private parts). The students were worried about their practical marks and were afraid to lodge direct complaint against the examiner so they registered their complaint with the teachers and Admin Staff.

“Keeping in view, it is requested that strict disciplinary action may please be taken against the sick individual and he be barred from such duties in future. In addition, for further, lady practical examiner may please be given preference for their girls student to avoid recurrence of such incidents.”

He also asked the FBISE to take action against the teacher after the submission of the practical’s results so he cannot tamper with the result.

FBISE spokesperson Akhtar Shah said that the board has begun an investigation following the complaint from Bahria College.

The accused teacher will record his statement before the FBISE controller today (Thursday), he said.

The accused could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2018