Dubai: The Gulf News report about the trauma of the four-year-old kindergarten student who was allegedly sexually assaulted by three men triggered discussion among parents and their children about "good touch and bad touch", parents have said.
The report received more than 1,000 comments on the website alone.
Take responsibility
"Why are we harping on statements like the parents of the child don't blame the school or STS, the transport company. They are traumatised and anyone saying anything sweet to them will make them feel like they are on their side. It is a system failure and they have to take responsibility for it," a GEMS parent said in a website comment.
"At the auditorium of the school on Monday, GEMS management along with the STS were more inclined to defend their ‘reputation'. It's a pity and shame," another parent said online.
“In the auditorium it was shocking to learn that previous incidents of molestation have occurred in the school bus. This was confirmed by the Principal. However, the case was investigated by police and referred to the courts. The conductor was acquitted and so found innocent of any wrongdoing.”
However, a GEMS official later clarified that the principal went on to say that the case was investigated by the police and referred to the courts and the conductor was acquitted after he was found innocent.
Staff
GEMS Education chairman Sunny Varkey on Tuesday announced that GEMS would hire women supervisory staff on all its buses. There are currently 700 buses transporting 40,000 GEMS students every day. Of the 700 conductors they employ now, only 50 are women.
