Sodomy saga: Teacher disowned
And Police in Chibombo have charged Mr. Bwalya with indecent assault for allegedly sexually abusing 16 pupils.
The pupils, aged between 5 and 16, have accused their teacher, 38, of sodomising them on different occasions. But commenting on the matter yesterday, Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ) spokesperson Ngoza Malonga said the council had carried out its own investigations following media reports of the unfortunate situation in Chibombo and had established that Mr. Bwalya was not a registered teacher. She said the council was greatly disturbed by reports of what was happening at the school saying it was sad that a person who was supposed to protect the interest of the learners had turned them into his own victims through abuse.
“We are saddened by the fact that the officer chose to abuse the children, instead of protecting them. The teacher’s conduct is unprofessional, as it is in sharp contrast to the Code of Ethics of the teaching profession.
“TCZ inspectors have investigated the matter and it has been established that the officer in question is not a registered teacher. Further, we wish to state that, the Teaching Council of Zambia will not hesitate to de-register any teacher found wanting,” Ms. Malonga said. She warned that the council will not take kindly to teachers who failed to uphold their professional ethics but will swiftly de-register individuals found wanting. “TCZ wishes to commend the police for their quick action, and for apprehending the suspect who is currently detained at Landless Corner Police Post. The council condemns the teacher’s act in the strongest terms and we further wish to put it on record that such kind of behaviour shall not be tolerated.
“We would like to state that teachers are expected to uphold the highest standard of professional behaviour as their conduct both within and outside working hours has the potential to build or destroy the image of the profession. Any teacher found abrogating the professional code will be sternly dealt with. TCZ will not entertain any sexually related misconduct with the learners,” she said.
She appealed to members of the public to support the council in its quest to sanitize the profession for the benefit of learners and the nation at large.