Shell-shocked parents seek justice in St Florence saga

Dar/Dodoma. Reports that schoolgirls at Dar es Salaam’s St Florence School were defiled by their teacher drew angry reactions from parents, education stakeholders and politicians alike.

On Wednesday, the parents who have daughters studying at the Mikocheni-based school gathered and marched to a police station where they recorded a statement over alleged sexual abuses that their girls were going through.

After rumours started spreading, the teacher, who is accused of committing the offence went missing since March 16, and the police have yet to establish his whereabouts.

The allegation of sexual abuse drew the attention of the Kinondoni District Commissioner, Mr Ali Hapi, who ordered the police to hunt him down and ensure that legal measures are taken.

After reports of sexual abuse at the school went viral on mainstream and social media, the Kinodndoni DC paid a visit to the school where some teachers ran away while a few others locked themselves in offices.

While other teachers gave no chance for journalists to take photos, the school head, Mr Wilson Mwabuka, showed up and received the commissioner.

After discussions with the school head, Mr Hapi called on the parents and society in general to remain calm while the police were still probing into the allegations.

“Teachers, students and support staff of our schools are human beings. Everyone comes from a different background, so behaviours will certainly not be uniform. Therefore, we should refrain from making general conclusions that all teachers are the same,” he said.

Asked for comment over his teacher’s alleged offence, Mr Mwabuka he was not in a position to make any remark because the police had already launched their investigations.

He, however, disclosed to reporters that the teacher, who is accused of committing the offence, has not reported for work since March 16.

“The police are already probing these allegations and since I am not a lawyer, I am not going go into details. I call upon the parents and public in general to be patient as we waiting for what the police will establish,” said Mr Mwabuka.

Speaking over the matter, the Dar es Salaam Regional Educational Officer, Mr Hamis Lissu, said they have already ordered education inspectors to make a follow-up on the matter, but they have yet to inform him of their findings.

He explained that normally when students want to go for training tours, they ask for permission and explain where they would be going to and for how long they would be there.

“Normally, we are not worried about the safety of the children because they are accompanied by their teachers. We will not allow them if they go alone. We understand that teachers are their guardians, so we don’t expect them to be sexual predators,” he said.

One parent, who identified herself as Aneth told The Citizen that she reported at the school with an intention of pulling her daughter out of the institution.

“Ever since I received this information, I have been sleepless. I have therefore come here to seek transfer of my daughter because the learning environment here has now changed for worse,” she said.

The Citizen team witnessed over 10 parents struggling for pull their children out of the school. The head of Kibangu English Medium School, Mr James Bitesigirwe, said the offence committed by the teacher was a betrayal to the teaching profession because students always trust their teachers even more than their own parents.

The Secretary General of the Tanzania Association of Managers and Owners of Non-Governmental Schools and Colleges (Tamongsco), Mr Benjamin Nkonya, said acts of sexual harassment in the country were widespread, particularly, to students of government owned schools because of wanting security.

Mr Nkonya said offenders were not teachers only, but also other groups of people in the community, citing an example of bodaboda taxi operators, chips sellers and other young men who meet them on their way to and from school.

However, Mr Nkonya advised parents with students in public schools through their school boards to find reliable school buses that would be ferrying their children to and from school every day.

He stressed that such a move would help minimise or cub altogether sexual harassment.

For their part, MPs were up in arms, asking for a directive from the Speaker’s seat so that the matter could be discussed in the parliament.

Special Seat MP Esther Mmasi (CCM) asked for the directive from the Speaker’s seat, saying one of the international laws signed by the government was to protect the child until they realise their dreams, but nowadays, according to her, there was no protection of children, especially the girl child.

“Judging by posts on various social media, there is anxiety. The parents reported that a teacher has been sexually abusing students, but the head of the school was trying to block information from reaching the government authorities,” said Mmasi.

“As we speak, he has psychologically affected four children. When will the government protect the children?” she queried.