Coretta McDonald
The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) said it is concerned about allegations against a teacher for sexual misconduct.
GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald told Guyana Times International on Wednesday that the union is totally against any form of sexual act perpetrated by teachers on their charges.
Her comment comes on the heels of a recent wanted bulletin issued by the Guyana Police Force for a teacher on allegations of rape.
“We’ve been saying to our teachers and we will continue to say to them that you are there as a role model for the children,” McDonald said.
She stated that while the teacher is still to be proven guilty, the GTU is concerned about the allegation.
The GTU general secretary said if convicted, the teacher should face the full force of the law.
The top GTU official also pointed out that the allegation has created a bad image of teachers and the profession.
The Guyana Police Force on Tuesday issued a wanted bulletin for Ronald Forde for questioning in relation to a matter of rape, which is under investigation. Back in November 2011, Forde, a teacher of the Fort Wellington Secondary School on the West Coast of Berbice, was charged with having carnal knowledge of one of his students, aged 14, fully knowing that she was under the age of 18.
The charge, to which he was not required to plead, was read to him at the Weldaad Magistrate’s Court. He was subsequently refused bail by Magistrate Roby Benn. Forde had complained of losing his cellphone a few weeks before the charge. The phone was eventually found. Images of him having sex with the female student were reportedly seen on the device. It was rumoured that the teacher and student were having an affair.
