School defends actions amid criticisms in wake of alleged sexual assault incident

The administration of a St Andrew-based primary school, where a six-year-old female student was allegedly sexually assaulted by an 11-year-old male student, yesterday said it followed the lawful procedure in reporting the matter to the relevant authorities.

In a meeting with parents, the school’s principal acknowledged that some parents were unhappy with how things were handled.

She, however, said the school acted within the legal framework.

Under Section 63 of the Child Care and Protection Act, no child under the age of 12 can be held criminally responsible.

“Many of our decisions, many of our actions taken, that you will see taken, while it is not agreed by you or you feel that more should be done or should be said, we want you to understand that we are guided by the Child Care and Protection Act, and we will continue to follow those guidelines, as we are legally obligated to follow those guidelines in order to protect those children in our care,” the principal said.

She noted that once the school has done its part, the matter is left up to the relevant agencies, and it is their duty to investigate and to ensure that all children, all parties, are protected and cared for.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) said it was investigating the March 11 incident. It said its inquiry revealed that the schoolboy allegedly led the girl into an empty classroom after school, where the assault took place.

“We are deeply troubled by this incident, as school should be looked at as a safe haven for students and not one where they should be vulnerable to being sexually abused, especially not by their fellow students,” said CPFSA CEO Laurette Adams-Thomas.

Following the report, the CPFSA initiated an investigation and spoke with both children and their parents. The girl was referred to the Ministry of Justice’s Victim Services Division for counselling, while the boy was referred to the Child Guidance Clinic for psychological intervention.

Stressing that the school is committed to transparency in communication, the principal emphasised that it has to prioritised confidentiality in certain issues.

“We want to assure you that these sensitive matters are being taken care of, but we are doing so with discretion, and doing our part in safeguarding the rights of all students in our care.”

Difficult situation

The school’s chairman, while expressing sadness at the incident, reiterated that the administration “followed all the protocols and took all necessary steps outlined by the law”, in addressing the issue in a timely manner.

“As a community, we are saddened at the recent incident… . We understand your anger, we understand your disappointment, and we, too, are upset at what is a difficult situation to handle. We have to understand, however, that these are children and they do have issues concerning their sexuality and their bodies which we all have to help them to deal with,” she said.

Stating that it was not a matter for public discussion, she said the school would now have to embark on rebuilding trust.

Meanwhile, the school’s guidance counsellor cautioned parents against sharing any photos relating to the incident, as they would be in breach of the law.

“Be mindful of what we share, what we say, and the words we use,” she said. “If I get evidence that you are circulating any photograph of any minors … I will not hesitate to report you,” she said.

“It is a difficult time because we know the ethos of our school, we don’t want our name to be out there in a bad light. However, we are a school, we are united, and we are going to continue to do what we are known for, which is to excel,” she added.

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