By Jabulani Chisipo in Harare
HARARE: ZIMBABWE’s Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) official has said learners should be taught how to be responsible and their rights should go with responsibility.
Permanent secretary Mrs Thumisani Thabela made the remark in her speech read on her behalf by the director for Curriculum Development and Technical Services in the ministry Dr Authur Makanda at the launch of the School Related Gender Based Violence Pilot Project in Zimbabwe that was held in Harare on Friday courtesy of the Forum for African Women Educationalists Zimbabwe (FAWEZI).
“We need to teach our learners to be responsible as rights go with responsibility,” read part of the speech.
Forum for African Women Educationalists Zimbabwe (FAWEZI) has done a survey in the districts which will be used in programming, and SRGBV is still prevalent and evident in schools on girls. Also boys have become regular victims.
“It is may desire that at the end of implementing the survey is done schools will report positive strides regarding ending of SRGBV,” read part of the speech.
Forum for African Women Educationalists Zimbabwe (FAWEZI) National vice chairperson, Dr Ruth Gora said that there is need to create an environment were children can realize their potential.
“I encourage the participating schools to do their best in implementing this pilot project,” said Dr Gora.
Dr Gora commended the support they got from the ministry as FAWEZI and said it was viable to maintain that relationship.
“The project is taking a whole school approach were everyone is involved to contribute to safe schools, were we can have all these boys and girls growing and flourishing, ” she added.
United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) Sujata Bordoli said, “One person cannot fight the SRGBV alone it needs partnership,” and emphasized in Shona language that, “Chara chimwe hachitswanye inda,” and Rwendovaviri.”
“There is need to work together to crush the problem of School Related Gender Based Violence,” she added.
It was mentioned that there is need to work together in ensuring that everyone’s rights is realized.
She noted that during many years she has been fortunate to work with partners to implement School Related Gender Based Violence.
Miske Witt Associates International Inc (MWAI) representative, Dr Shirley Miske said “Implementing of the activities will not be led FAWEZI but by the schools themselves.”
As partners by working together it demonstrates that some of these issues can be addressed and the project can succeed and its results can be achieved.
Dr Miske pointed out that she was greatful and honoured to be partners to the project which gives an opportunity to discuss and to identify the issues.
“Also it is important that that you have identified the solutions to make the school a safe environment. Violence happen everyday and it’s not acceptable,” she said.
FAWEZI National Coordinator Lydia Madyirapanze who presented on, “An overview of the SRGBV project,”noted that School Related Gender Based Violence continues to be a serious barrier to realizing the right to education.”
Some of the forms of violence includes include; bullying thus physical and verbal; corporal punishment among others.
The pilot project is in ten schools five in Chitungwiza and five in Shamva districts and will run from 2018 to 2020.
Chitungwiza schools set to benefit include: St Aidan’s primary and Tasimukira primary, Seke 2 high, Seke 6 high and Zengeza 4 high while Shamva district schools consists of: Mutumba primary and secondary schools, Mupfure primary and secondary schools as well as Madziwa Rural primary.
The outcome of the project includes a strengthened collaboration between FAWEZI and MoPSE to implement and monitor the project and to be a sustainable model of community school partnership to end .
According to Madyirapanze“In this project one of the dimensions is parent engagement. We are also working with parents to see what is their role in ending SRGBV they play a big role.”
The project activities to date includes teacher training were a total of 50 teachers including school heads were trained on gender responsiveness.
Schools will be spearheading community stakeholders meetings in preventing School Related Gender Based Violence.
Zimbabwe Gender Commission’ s chief executive officer Mrs Virginia Muwanigwa said that it was quite befitting that as a commission they have joined the launch and added that there is need to engage community leaders in the fight of violence as part of solution to School Related Gender Based Violence.
“We need to monitor and evaluate the programs we are implementing,” said Mrs Muwanigwa.
It was noted that girls were socialized not to speak and there is need to encourage them to speak out on violations and also the need for laws to be aligned to the constitution for service delivery.
The gender commission is mandated to monitor and investigate issues related to gender violations, for example, the violations of SRGBV in schools and to recommend for the prosecution of the perpetrators.
The new Zimbabwean constitution is progressive in terms of guaranteeing rights to children. Also specifically it speaks to the rights of the children to be protected.
The global data on SRGBV is very scarce, and it is difficult to compare but this affects millions of children.
“The impact of violation is irreversible psychologically it affects brains and compromise children’s development,” added Muwanigwa.
As result it led to substance abuse; to the unwanted pregnancies, low and poor grades; whilst others dropout of school and that violence was a reality that is present and shrouded in secrecy, however, there is a group of partners that are taking it serious and begin to implementing the project in Zimbabwe.
This whole school approach to prevent and respond to SRGBV 8 dimensions: Teachers and Educational Staff Support; Child Rights Participation and Gender Equality; Reporting Monitoring and Accountability; Incident Response; Safe and Secure Physical Environments in and around schools; parent engagement; Codes of Conduct and School leadership and community (to create safe and gender sensitive environments).
The meeting was attended held by school heads, children among others.
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