Ministry continues probe into alleged harassment at Gruzdžiai centre

Lithuania’s Ministry of Education, Science and Sport is continuing an investigation into alleged harassment of a teenage girl by an employee at the Gruzdžiai Children’s Socialisation Centre, LRT reported. The ministry expects its commission to submit conclusions within the next few weeks.

“The ministry has not yet completed the investigation. The commission is expected to present its conclusions in the coming weeks, and the minister will make decisions based on them,” the ministry told ELTA.

The ministry is also examining why the centre did not follow the established procedure for reporting the incident and why the employee was not immediately suspended.

The centre had previously informed the ministry and other responsible institutions, including the police and the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service, when conflicts between students or other cases of inappropriate behaviour were recorded.

At the end of July, LRT’s Panorama reported that an employee who may have sexually harassed a teenage girl had been suspended from duties at the centre in Kėdainiai district. The 14 year old girl’s father reported the alleged harassment to police. The Seimas Commission for Suicide and Violence Prevention visited the centre, while law enforcement launched a pre trial investigation.

The Gruzdžiai Children’s Socialisation Centre is a specialised state institution belonging to the group of general education schools. It is intended for students with delinquent behaviour who have been assigned a medium level supervision or educational measure.