This, the Kulai Member of Parliament explained, is a necessary precautionary measure that should be adopted regardless of the fact whether the teacher in question is innocent until proven guilty.
“Isn’t it better to put the teacher in a district or state education department pending the investigation?
“Why expose other kids to unnecessary and avoidable risk?,” she told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
Teo was referring to a case involving a Hulu Selangor teacher who had allegedly molested nine of his students.
The issue came to light in May when a Year Five pupil reported the alleged misconduct to another teacher.
Tamil daily Makkal Osai claimed that the teacher had been doing this for several months.
Despite the serious allegation, the Education Ministry yesterday said the teacher was transferred to another school.
“I don’t understand the rationale behind this decision. If I am a parent of a student studying in the school where the teacher is transferred to, I will feel insulted and worried for my child.
“Children are by nature vulnerable to those more powerful than they are. (And) schools should be safe places for all children.”
She then cited another case involving a school headmaster in Sandakan who was allegedly found uploading videos with pornographic content.
The headmaster in question was also transferred to another school.
She lamented that despite a total of 15 reports of teachers molesting students made between 2010 and Oct this year, none were charged or sentenced.
“We do not want another Richard Huckle in Malaysia,” she said, alluding to the British pedophile who was given 22 life sentences for sexually abusing over 200 Malaysian children.