Bell tolls for child abusers in schools

Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
18th October 2009

Government last week launched a programme to eradicate the rampant cases of child abuse in both primary and secondary schools, following an upsurge of the vice.

The programme — known as Learn Without Fear Campaign — would be supported by Plan Zimbabwe, a non-governmental organisation which works with schools.

Speaking at the launch of programme, the Minister of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, said that violence against children affected them physically and psychologically.

He said the Plan Zimbabwe programme would complement the Government’s existing Child Friendly School Model, which was useful in discouraging the abuse of children.

“I am excited to note that the Learn Without Fear Campaign fits perfectly into the ideals of the Child Friendly School Model,” said Senator Coltart. “The Child Friendly School Model is a package that seeks to ensure that schools are places where children desire to be. School-based abuse affects a child’s personality, physically and psychologically.”

Senator Coltart said child abuse contributed to school drop-outs, aggressiveness and future anti-social criminal behaviour. He said the campaign against abuse of school children should be spread to the homes, since most of the abusers were realatives. Senator Coltart said education was not all about the grades obtained in public examinations, but also the whole gamut of issues related to the learning environment.

“It is, however, important to note that policies and regulations alone may not stop abuse at home and at school,” said Senator Coltart. “We need collective effort from all stakeholders to fight the various forms of abuse that have potential to derail the full development of our children.

Speaking at the same occasion, the Country Director of Plan Zimbabwe Ms Else Kragholm said that the campaign against child abuse would change the violence in schools.

“The Learn Without Fear Campaign is an opportunity to partner with the Government, NGOs and others in a bid to make a difference to the lives of school children,” Ms Kragholm.

“I would like to thank the ministry for its readiness to partner with Plan Zimbabwe to increase access to quality education for Zimbabwean children.”

Child President Gugulethu Nkomo said it was disturbing that those who were entrusted with looking after children had turned into their abusers. “These various abuses have also been inflicted by so many different people, among them are our own teachers, parents, guardians and peers,” he said.

Cases of child abuse in the form of sexual abuse, bullying and corporal punishment have been rampant over the past years. Some schools administer corporal punishment as if it is part of the learning system.

The weekly Manica Post last week reported a case in which a teacher whipped his three biological children with a double electric code for bed-wetting. Only last week another report indicated that an under-age schoolgirl was married off in order to settle a case of infidelity on the part of her sister.