Recurrence of POCSO cases against teacher exposes systemic failure

‘Govt. should rethink reinstating teachers accused of sexually exploiting children’

The booking of a physically challenged Government primary school teacher for the third time on the charge of sexually abusing his children in different schools in the district has exposed the State’s systemic failure in protecting the rights of the children.

Experts who handle children’s issues in the State, including Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights member Nazeer Chaliyam, chorused that if the State had a strong policy or guideline, many primary children could have been saved from being abused by the same predator.

Mr. Nazeer told The Hindu that he had insisted on keeping aside the accused for longer periods from interacting with children in several cases of sexual abuse. “But what we seriously lack is a policy in this matter. As is practised elsewhere, including several Western countries, the accused person in such cases should not be allowed to interact with children any further,” he said.