The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Queens College, Lagos, said in Lagos on Monday that it had set up a panel to investigate alleged sexual harassment in the school.
Chairman of the PTA, Beatrice Akhetuanen, told a news conference that the panel would be working with the Police Station in Sabo, Yaba to investigate a biology teacher, Olaseni Oshifala, said to be perpetrating the act.
According to reports, Mr Oshifala is said to have sexually harassed a JSS II student of the school.
The report claimed the teacher was usually drunk, and started molesting the girl who screamed and was rescued by some of the girls, booing him.
One Chinenye Okoye, who claims to be the student’s mother, alleged that she reported the case to the house mistress who confirmed the teacher was in the habit of doing such and there was nothing anyone could do to him.
She alleged that the case was also reported to the vice principal but she said the teacher would not be allowed to leave the school. That instead, her daughter would leave.
Mrs Akhetuanen said no parent had reported any sexual harassment to the principal or vice principal and that the teacher was not living in the school.
The PTA chairman, however, pleaded with the aggrieved parent to come forth so that the case could be looked into.
”The so-called parent has not shown herself, all efforts to get her have proved abortive.
“When I tried calling the number I saw on the report, she did not pick her call”, she said.
The school management has thrown its weight behind the teacher.
A statement issued by the Principal, Lami Amodu, alleged that the claim was an attempt to ridicule, not just Oshifala, but the “hard-earned reputation” of Queens College.
“When I resumed work as principal here, I was told of a certain matron who housed a person that had attempted to have an affair with a student,” Mrs. Amodu began.
“I was not here when it happened but as soon as I was told, I made sure that the matron was moved out of the school premises. I have zero tolerance for such behaviour. I have a daughter who schools here, even before I began work here. I will not take chances.
“As I talk to you, no single parent has come to me or any of my vice-principals to report Olaseni as a molester. I assure you that if the allegation was true, other parents would have been buzzing our lines non-stop. Children spread gossip fast. They would tell their parents or relations, if anyone was molesting them here. No parent would take such news lightly.
“When this news reached me, I summoned an emergency meeting of all the critical stakeholders. We all discussed before inviting Mr Oshifala. Every one of my staff says positive things about the man. Of course they were all here (Queens College) before me, so they are qualified to assess members of staff properly.”
Mrs. Amodu said before her resumption at Queens College, a former principal of Kings College, Dele Olapeju, had recommended Mr. Oshifala as a credible person to work with.
“Let us not forget that Olaseni worked with five different principals, all of who also told me good words about him, despite the various allegations against him,” she said.
“I have investigated and we are not relenting in our determination to get to the bottom of this case. The man in question has been of impeccable character and committed service since I resumed work here. I can vouch for him.
“When I resumed work here, I was told a few unsavoury things about him. But investigations showed that each time a new principal resumed at Queens College, these allegations popped up. They would tell every new principal that Mr Olaseni is a molester. But after investigations, nothing concrete came up. My predecessor, whom we just sent forth today, told me the same thing. So it has been a recurring decimal, these allegations.”
Mrs. Amodu said there was a campaign of calumny against Mr. Osifala who happens to be “the best teacher in our school.”
“During World Teachers’ Day, he bagged five awards. The students all have good things to say about him. Somebody somewhere is up to some mischief and we will uncover this unfortunate drama,” the school principal said.
“We place a premium on the security and welfare of our girls. We are all mothers. We will not allow any staff to endanger girls in this school.”
Earlier, SSS III students were seen protesting, saying that the accused had been set up by someone and was unjustly accused.
Defying the rain, they went out in the uniforms with the message that the accused is not a paedophile.
They also challenged the accuser to come forward, saying “no mother, no daughter, no case”.
