EDUCATORS could find themselves in hot water for acts previously regarded as innocent when the new Sexual Offences Bill is signed into law, Education Minister Andrew Holness has warned.

Holness all but urged teachers to keep their hands to themselves, when he suggested they keep their relationships with students strictly professional.

Speaking in Parliament Tuesday during a debate on the Bill, Holness disclosed that he had received a number of complaints about "indecent" teacher-student relationships, an issue the new Bill addresses.

He did not, however, spell out how many complaints he had received or the specific nature of those complaints. But he said that they were all in a file on his desk at National Heroes Circle in Kingston.

"I get several complaints, on my desk I have a file. The Ministry of Education takes note and interest and welcomes this Bill and the new features. I also take the opportunity to place the teaching profession on alert that they should now be very cautious of how they engage children in their care," Holness said.

The education minister further pointed out that while Jamaica's culture did not view "touching, slapping, (and) groping in a sexually suggestive way" as criminal offences, under Section 8 of the Bill such behaviour must now be seen as illegal within the context of the relationship with adults in authority.

"The Act clearly defines the relationship between teacher and student and all the offences laid out in the Act now become applicable to the teaching profession and educators in general. I would like to use this opportunity to alert the teaching fraternity, particularly our males, that we have to be very cautious in how as adults in authority we engage our students," Holness emphasised.

Section 8 (1) of the Bill defines everyone employed in the early childhood, primary and secondary schools system as adults in positions of authority, with the teacher standing loco parentis or in place of the parent.

He said Section 9 of the Act, which deals with "sexual grooming", was also an area of concern for education officials.

"I have seen cases where male teachers invite students to their cottage or to have a drink, (and) the intention, though not expressed, may be sexual. I now use this opportunity to alert our teachers. It is conceivable that that act could be construed as sexual grooming, I don't want any of my teachers or educators to be caught (in such acts)," he said.

At the same time, Holness said the education ministry was well on its way to begin licensing of teachers and that it would be making a bid to be privy to the records which would be held by the Sexual Offenders Registry to be established by the Act, as the ministry was against the idea of licensing teachers who are sexual offenders.

Debate on the Sexual Offences Act 2008, which seeks to bring together all laws dealing with rape, incest and other sex crimes, began in the House of Representatives on January 27. The debate, which was suspended on Tuesday, is to continue next week.