Several days after reports surfaced about female students of the Santa Rosa Secondary School being strip-searched over accusations of stolen money, acting Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson yesterday said that he was unaware of the incident but promised an investigation and appropriate action.
Based on information reaching Stabroek News over the weekend, it was reported that a formal complaint had been filed after a female student of the school brought the incident to the attention of a resident in the area.
Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region One Leslie Wilburg had also confirmed that he had received a report of the incident and that a formal complaint was lodged Saturday afternoon. He further stated that the Regional Education Officials were expected to launch an investigation into the allegations made by the students.
With this in mind, numerous calls were made to the Regional Education Officer, Nigel Richards, over a four-day period for an update on the investigation. However, all the calls went unanswered. Attempts to contact him at his office were also futile as Stabroek News was informed that Richards had travelled to the city.
Similarly, efforts to contact Hutson on Monday through the Ministry of Education’s Public Relations Officer Suelle Williams were also unsuccessful and a promised response in relation to the incident was not released up to press time yesterday.
Contacted yesterday through a different channel, Hutson said, “This has now been brought to my attention.”
He further offered the assurance that the matter will be investigated and appropriate action would be taken.
Meanwhile, Stabroek News was reliably informed that several parents of the students who were strip searched visited the school yesterday to see their children and to meet with the Head Teacher of the school. Those who met with the Head Teacher of the school were subsequently referred to the District Education Officer, Ignatius Adams, sources said.
The incident had occurred on evening of September 13, after monies belonging to the “Dorm’s Mother” went missing.
This, led to 65 female students, who are housed at the school’s dormitory, being stripped and searched by the school’s welfare officer and the matron of the house, in a “private office” at the school.
Stabroek News was told that not only was the directive to have the students strip searched given by the police at the Acquero Police Station but that the search was done in the presence of two male officers of the said station. It was also noted that the female students were left to face the taunts of some male students of the school, who allegedly witnessed the incident as well.
However, acting Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine, in response to the Stabroek News report on the incident, denied the involvement of the police ranks. In a statement, it was acknowledged that a report of stolen money belonging to the matron of the dorms was made at the said police station by the School’s Welfare Officer. This, led the Subordinate Officer in-Charge and a Constable accompanied by the School Welfare Officer to visit the dormitory, where the children’s bags were searched by the School Welfare Officer.
The statement said that while no money was recovered from the search, the welfare officer insisted that a search be conducted on each child. However, this was met with an objection from the Subordinate Officer, who indicated that it would be improper in the circumstance for the police to sanction this, the statement added.
At this point of time, both ranks reportedly left the school and returned to the station, where they later learnt that the children were searched by the School Welfare Officer, the police added.
Stabroek News was informed that the incident first came to light on Friday after a 14-year-old student of the school related what had had transpired to a resident in the area.
When speaking with the resident, the 14-year-old had explained that the students who originate from far-flung areas are not in constant contact with their parents since communication usually goes through the dorm’s mother and, consequently, they did not know with whom to raise the issue.
It was related yesterday that the matron continues to carry out her duties even as investigations are said to be ongoing.
