School teachers end strike

Majeediyya School teachers on Wednesday returned to work after ending a strike over their safety.

The teachers downed tools a day earlier after a member of staff was suspended for allegedly assaulting a student.

According to local media, the Indian maths teacher was trying to remove a student from another class who had been harassing his students outside of his class.

An eyewitness told Mihaaru Daily that the teacher was attacked by the student.

“The teacher was trying to remove the student from his class. The student was going into his class and harassing his students. That is when the student assaulted the teacher and the teacher also tried to defend himself,” said the teacher.

Several teachers at the school told local media the student had a record of assaulting other students and teachers.

After the suspension of the teacher, who had been working in the Maldives for 12 years, his colleagues stopped working and demanded that management ensure a safe working space for them.

The teachers returned to work after the education ministry said it would look into the matter and ensure a safe work environment.

According to VFP Online, the suspended teacher feared for his safety and has left the country with his wife, who was also a teacher at the same school.

Mihaaru reported that the maths teacher was threatened by a gang.

In a statement the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party blamed a vocational training program called dhasvaaru, which targets students who have low academic scores. The students are encouraged to join vocational programs instead of academic studies.

“Labelling some students as those who can’t achieve results is wrong,” said the MDP. “It can lead to students becoming weak both mentally and behaviourally, leading to problems in and out of the school. It can also lead to an increase of young people taking part in criminal activity.

An education ministry spokesman was unavailable for comment.

Photo: Mihaaru