Ekumfi Essuehyia (C/R), Dec 15, GNA - Teachers of Ekumfi Attakwaa T.I Ahamdiyya Primary and Junior Secondary Schools have threatened to leave the town if the citizens do not stop harassing them.

The teachers who alleged that their harassment ranged from assault to attempted rape, made the appeal at a meeting with Mrs Matilda Bannerman-Mensah, the new Mfantseman District Director of Education, at Ekumfi Essuehyia.

Miss Grace Korkor Mensah, Headmistress of the School, said because of the bad treatment no teacher wanted to accept posting to the town to fill the existing three vacancies.

She said that last year a teacher of the JSS was brutally assaulted by a student with the help of his brother and mother because the teacher seized a textbook belonging to the school, which the student claimed was for him even though it bore the school's stamp. According to the Headmistress when the case was sent to court it dragged on for over one year and "finally died without any judgement".

Miss Mensah said about two weeks ago a female teacher also of the JSS went to see a colleague off without closing her door.

She said when the teacher returned and was about to go to bed she detected to her astonishment that a boy was hiding under her bed. The teacher raised the alarm and with the help of neighbours dragged the boy who was holding a pair of scissors and a chord from under the bed.

Miss Mensah alleged that the boy, a past pupil of the school had earlier informed some friends that he would rape the teacher. She also said that unknown persons had been defecating on the teachers' tables and chairs.

Mrs Bannerman-Mensah expressed her sympathy with the teachers and assured them that she would do anything within her capability to solve the problem.