CHEATERS’  TEST

Teachers who twist the truth for their own kids

BY Goolbai Gunasekara

There is a touchy situation occurring occasionally in teachers’ careers, which can cause tremendous heartburn among pupils and parents who are affected by it but can do nothing.  I am referring to a ‘cheating teacher.’

Sad isn’t it that one needs to address such a problem but it has become one albeit unrecognised publicly by educationists.

The problem of teachers using their power or authority to further the interests of their own children is quite common. It can happen in private or public institutions. It is rarer in private institutions since there is a fairly foolproof checking system in place – and most privately run educational institutions have strong and watchful principals.

Recently, a case arose in a well-known Colombo school. A teacher was caught changing her daughter’s maths marks to ensure the girl would be given the class prize in maths that year. I don’t know how that particular cheat thought she could get away with the alteration since obviously, all the original marks were known by the class.

The child who came first must have been aware of her grade and would have inquired why she wasn’t being awarded the prize.

And so the cheating teacher was nabbed. She broke down and confessed. The prize was then awarded to the right student and the problem was settled. But what was a principal do with the unacceptable behaviour of the cheating teacher?

In this case the principal wanted instant dismissal of the recalcitrant one but she was overruled by the school board, which contented itself with a serious demotion.

Being a private school, there can be some sort of punishment expected even though the cheating teacher lied again and withdrew her confession saying it had been made under duress. Had she been sacked in spite of her change of story, she could have gone to a labour tribunal and a long nasty case would have ensued, probably ending in her favour.

At least there was the shame factor. Her colleagues and pupils would have known of her perfidy. Hopefully, the teacher would have been embarrassed by the publicity even though she retained her job.

But one must wonder if there would have been a similar outcome in some faraway outstation school where a teacher is rarely (in fact, never) questioned. Would an extremely underprivileged parent have dared to upset either the cheating teacher or principal of the school by alleging fraud?

Her child would be damned for life. What alternative would that underprivileged parent have had if the school authorities rejected her allegations and then proceeded to make life miserable for the young complainant?

She would have had no future.

Teachers who cheat with marks are bad enough but the cases of teacher abuse seem to be proliferating, going by daily accounts in the newspapers. Punishments seem either to be nonexistent or else totally unfitted to the crime. Why is the public not given a comeback on these reported teacher crimes?

We read regularly of principals and teachers sexually abusing children in their care. Their names are never given. There is no continuity of the news. The fact that these crimes against children continue apace seems to be proof that they’re not punished strongly enough. Why does public opinion count for so little?

There is no sensible system of legal correction for these errant teachers. One principal who took a Rs. 5,000 bribe was given a 20 year jail sentence! This seems an excessive punishment for so small a sum. The next day, a more serious crime of financial fraud was handed a sentence of five years.

Justice is not being served.

I presume there are school inspectors in place? We recall some of the well-known personalities like Miss Elsie Solomons or Miss Chelliah whose visits caused my principal mother to prepare busily for their arrival. Teachers likewise spruced up. There was mutual respect on both sides.

The report sent by the inspector was then discussed with the principal. The Department of Education had its finger on the pulse of schools in its care.

But this was a time before free education. The number of schools in the island was comparatively small. The free education scheme and huge numbers of new schools have ruined any close contact between teachers and inspectors. No one now has the time or the capability to make any serious improvement.

It’s a situation where it is each school for itself and the Department of Education trying to cope with them all.

Naturally, I’m prejudiced. I recall a pleasanter time when I’d accompany my principal mother to Malay Street to meet with the Director of Education and other Colombo principals. I was left outside the door with a book. The discussions inside were actually about educating children.

I wonder what would be discussed today if such conferences take place at all, which I seriously doubt.