Ministry of Education has begun probing into the suspension of a teacher employed at Faafu Atoll Education Centre after he was found to have tampered with results of a student to influence school captaincy selection.
Ministry of Education has begun probing into the suspension of a teacher employed at Faafu Atoll Education Centre after scores of a student was altered to confer school captaincy status to this student.
A poll was held between two students in 11th Grade on July 13 to elect the captain of Faafu Atoll Education Centre, after which a parent of one of the two candidates lodged a complaint to the Ministry over marks allocation concerns.
Minister of Education, Ismail Shafeeu told Mihaaru last night that the Ministry had received complaints over issues connected to selecting the captain of Faafu Atoll Education Centre. Investigations found that a leading teacher had tampered with scores of a student, revealed the Minister, adding that the teacher was then suspended.
However, Civil Service Commission had lifted the suspension, after which the Ministry ordered the school to conduct a reevaluation, said the Minister.
According to Civil Service regulations, tampering with documents is a third degree offence which will warrant instant suspension. The guidelines stipulate that the individual will be demoted once they return to work after committing such an offence.
A family member of the candidate who failed the elections held to elect the school captain spoke with Mihaaru News, sharing that the leading teacher, Yasir was suspended on July 17. However, he had returned to work five days later after having earlier resigning from his position.
"The next day after suspending [Leading Teacher Yasir], they posted on the school group chat that the voting from that day has been deemed invalid and that guidelines will be reformed and announced. We received a message that the Ministry had ordered the school to fix some documents because they were found to contain some problems," said the parent.
After the incident, the child has said they are no longer interested in continuing with their candidacy. The parent who spoke with Mihaaru News said that the child's parent wished to prove that students and parents are not always wrong.
The principal of Faafu Atoll Education Centre had met with parents who raised complaints over the score allocation of the test taken to select the school's captain. The principal revealed during this meeting that the Leading Teacher, Yasir had altered the results and that the Ministry is also aware of this fact, said the parent.
"Once asked why this was not informed to parents, he said it was because they do not wish to disgrace a teacher," said a parent who attended the meeting.
"I am still pleading to recount the truth of this event to teachers and students. To transparently revise the results sheet without any secrecy or stubbornness. Regardless of which student was selected, that is the best way," said the parent.
"The lost faith in the school can also be won back if they do things the proper way."
After a long period of employment at the Faafu Atoll Education Centre, Yasir was promoted to a Leading Teacher in January this year.
Concerns were also previously raised over the selection of top A level and O level students, said a parent, adding that this was later addressed.
Mihaaru News reports that Faafu Atoll Education Centre's Principal had declined from commenting on the matter once contacted.
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