WHY ALLOW A PEDOPHILE IN SCHOOL?

Once again, the education system and its lack of supervision of teachers has been laid bare following revelations of a teacher who sodomised 16 boys at a community school in Central Province’s Chibombo district. This is a sad and unfortunate occurrence that no parent would want to happen to their child. Unfortunately, every once in a while, monsters are born and somehow manage to get themselves in positions where they have free reign to inflict misery and pain on families. The emotional turmoil that the abused boys and their parents are going through must be difficult. It is therefore not surprising though illegal, that some parents of the sodomised school boys are threatening to kill the alleged abuser. We would however, ask for restraint from the parents and advise that they get help for the children. The boys will need counselling because what they were subjected to goes against the order of nature and morally unacceptable. The kind of abuse that the school boys, aged between 5 and 16, were subjected to, makes very sad reading and it is enough to send a parent to commit an unforgivable offence. However, we would like to advise the aggrieved parents to leave the matter in the capable hands of the police. It is sad that such a thing could happen to any child. Sexual abuse is a heinous crime which those who are found guilty of, should never see the outside of jail. No parent wants to see their child abused in any way. If there is any disciplining to be done, parents would rather do it themselves. To imagine an adult forcing himself on boys for sexual gratification is nauseating and deserves a stiff punishment. In discussing the issue, we would want to know just what kind of system government has in place to scrutinise staff in schools? Or is it that private schools do not have to conform to the national standard? If so, why? Why should we have a porous system that allows animals to slip through the system and become teachers or patrons in private schools. In the same manner that the Teaching Council of Zambia has embarked on regulating the employment of teachers, they should also intensify inspections of private schools. Let private schools provide full lists of staff, who by law, should have passed through the verification system by providing finger prints to Police. As much as possible, government and the private sector should have a common system to vent those charged with responsibility of looking after children. The Chibombo issue is particularly painful to parents, because the teacher involved is not a first offender going by accounts so far given. He reportedly ran away from Mumbwa after sodomising some boys where he also offered some cattle to settle the matter. So why was this animal, for lack of a better word, left free to sodomise school boys when he should never have been allowed to be near a school. Someone with a glaring history of sodomy should not have been allowed to join another school after facing problems in Mumbwa. We think that government lacks serious supervision of private schools and this is the reason such untold misery and abuse of children can take place without anyone being aware. Had it not been for the small child who alerted his parents about the ordeal at school, the wall of silence would have continued. A register of pedophiles should be established so that the venting processes can be aided. Save the children by stopping pedophiles.