Teachers and staff of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College, which is now in the centre of attention after one of its students committed suicide, have a long history of misbehaving with and insulting parents as well as students.
A number of parents of past and present Viqarunnisa students on Tuesday told the Dhaka Tribune misbehaviour by teachers and staff of the school is “normal.”
Although parents of past students agreed to be quoted in this report, those of present students were reluctant as they “feared for the wellbeing” of their children.
When contacted, Viqarunnisa Noon School & College acting principal Nazneen Ferdous rejected the allegations, saying she had not come across such claims since she joined in June.
However, she added that action would be taken against misbehaving teachers and staff if written complaints are lodged against them.
When asked about parents of present students being reluctant to speak as they feared their children would be victimized, the principal said: “No way. No student will be harassed if their parents lodge complaints.”
Meanwhile, a guardian said Viqarunnisa authorities had a poor attitude towards students and parents.
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“The school authorities are not cordial towards students and their parents at all. They only think about money and do not take care of the students,” he told the Dhaka Tribune on condition of anonymity.
“Most parents like us prefer schools like Viqarunnisa and Ideal, because of their brand value. They are selling their brands instead of providing quality education, which I learnt after my daughter was admitted there,” he added.
Another guardian of a current student said in an incident last year, her third-grade daughter had to stand outside of class for six hours as she was five minutes late.
“My child fell sick due to the inhuman torture. Her legs became swollen as she was standing for such a long time, but I could not take any step against the teacher,” she told the Dhaka Tribune, asking not to be named.
Many parents claimed the school authorities tortured students mentally, instead of encouraging them, when their results were not satisfactory.
They also alleged that teachers of the school compelled the students and their parents to avail private coaching services or tutoring from them.
Imran Hossain, a guardian of a former student, said his daughter and her grandfather were harassed by the school authorities after she achieved a poor result a first term examination a few years ago.
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“A student can obviously score poor marks, but they should not be humiliated by teachers for that. Misbehaviour by teachers often has a negative impact on children, and I think encouraging them is the best way to overcome the problem,” he said.
“I could not endure their insults, which is why I did not meet them. My father and my wife have experienced their misbehaviour on several occasions,” Imran added.
He further said some of the teachers used to force his wife to send their daughters to the teachers’ coaching centres.
“If parents do not send their children to coaching, the teachers manipulate the students’ results. Then they call their parents and misbehave,” Imran told the Dhaka Tribune.
Discussing when the school authorities misbehaved with him, Imran’s father MM Hossain, a former general manager of Philips, said: “The school authorities’ behaviour was heinous. I come from a family with a teaching background. My father and uncle were gold-medallist teachers during the Pakistani rule. I did not encounter such situation except at my granddaughter’s school.”
“When I asked them to behave themselves, they became more aggressive and wanted to issue a transfer certificate. Considering my granddaughter’s academic life, I had to say sorry. It was like I was begging them,” he added.
“They insulted me and humiliated me in any possible way they could. Their behaviour was not like that of teachers at all,” MM Hossain further said.
