The Fijian Teachers Association (FTA) is calling on the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) to substantiate their claims with evidence regarding schools covering up cases of sexual assault.

FTA general secretary Paula Manumanunitoga responded to claims made by the FWCC’s co-ordinator Shamima Ali.

Ms Ali had said the FWCC continued to deal with cases where students were victims of alleged sex attacks by teachers and that some of these cases were covered up. She also claimed, in some alleged cases, the cover up was by members of the community, parents, and even school managements.

Mr Manumanunitoga said FTA had not received any complaints of a possible cover up of such issues.

“If she is making these kinds of statements, then she needs to prove it. She has to produce evidence of what she is saying,” Mr Manumanunitoga said.

Fiji Teachers Union (FTU) general secretary Agni Deo Singh also refuted the claims by FWCC.

Mr Singh said: “I am not aware of any incident where the head of the school or a school management would have tried to cover up such an offence because by law, they are required to report such matters to the relevant authorities.

“If teachers are found guilty of any such events, they have no place in the classroom.

“We encourage our heads of schools to ensure that nothing of this sort is swept under the carpet.”

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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