On teachers defiling girls, it's time to move from indignation to action
Schoolgirls. There is a worrying trend of sexual abuse involving teachers and their students, some young enough to be their daughters.
What you need to know:
- Teaching has traditionally been noble and its good name should be upheld.
- A school should be a safe place for students, a place where some even call their second home.
There is a worrying trend of sexual abuse involving teachers and their students, some young enough to be their daughters.
For having sex with his 13-year-old pupil in 2016, a 45-year-old Nairobi teacher was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2019. This was just one of the baffling cases of teachers defiling students.
This week, a Homa Bay teacher went into hiding after defiling six of his students. One was confirmed pregnant. Each is one case too many.
I am a teacher by profession, taught at a national girls’ school for 12 years. On certain occasions, I encountered male colleagues relating ‘unprofessionally’ with the girls.
Although many of them preferred to be seen as friends to the girls, and not just as teachers, I would call the concerned girls aside and give them a ‘big sister’ talk—I was a young woman then. In retrospect, I wish I did more, I wish I engaged the school administration. Sadly, we learn some life lessons late.
With the trust placed in them and their authority over students, teachers must be the ones to discern right from wrong. Teaching has traditionally been noble and its good name should be upheld. The teachers’ quality naturally influences the quality of learning.
A school should be a safe place for students, a place where some even call their second home. But what happens when the figure of authority betrays the students’ trust?
Despite the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Ministry of Education pledging to be more vigilant against such vices, on top of their ‘stringent’ code of conduct, they still thrive. Indeed, the TSC has dismissed many teachers over the same, but that doesn’t seem to deter those left behind.
Student sexual abuse is an abuse of power where teachers seek sexual gratification by taking advantage of vulnerable girls. Unfortunately, such relationships are difficult to detect until they go awry or parents notice something amiss. They are grossly under-reported.
Many girls don’t speak out for fear of the stigma that may be attached to them. Others fear that no one may believe them, while some think they may be blamed.
This trend makes schools unsafe for our girls, suffocating their dreams and reducing their school experience to a battle for survival rather than academic achievement. The long-term effect is that their self-esteem plummets, their performance declines, while some drop out of school altogether.
Empowering girls to defend themselves is the best way to protect their rights. The role of female teachers in achieving that, cannot be overemphasised.
Schools should also have sexual harassment policies and ensure students understand what constitutes sexual harassment. Parents play an important role too. They know best the emotional needs of their children and should keep an eye out, while keeping the lines of communication open.
While male teachers are the most responsible for this behaviour, there have been unreported cases of female teachers’ sexual misconduct in recent years.
What more is the TSC and the government doing to protect students from ‘sexual predators’? Our children’s protection is a primary responsibility for all of us. It is time to move from indignation to action.
