Source: The Herald – Breaking news
Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
Programmes and policies are needed to end the abuse of boys reported from some high schools, with current priorities mainly focused on girls, Matabeleland South Proportional Representative Ms Lindiwe Maphosa has said.
Proportional representative MPs are all women.
In the National Assembly last week, Ms Maphosa raised the issue as a point of national interest.
“I rise on a point of national interest,” she said. “In this House, we have focused mostly on the girl child and I want to thank honourable members and even the Ministers because most of the issues have been addressed. However, we have forgotten the boy child.”
Ms Maphosa said a number of boys were being sexually abused at schools with little being done to ensure their safety.
“Madam Speaker (Cde Tsitsi Gezi, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly), my issue today is on boys’ high schools,” she said. “We have seen a lot of abuse on the boy child in these schools where the boy child is being abused.
“There is sexual peddling and sexual abuse. My prayer to you Madam Speaker is that the Ministry, together with the Committee on Primary and Secondary Education must launch investigation on this issue.
“I have seen a good percentage of boy child committing suicide. Some have mental challenges and others are dropping out of school, going on drugs. Previously, the boys’ high schools were best for our boy child because they were meant for them to focus on school without being disturbed by other things. Now, they have become a haven for abuse of boys.”
Cde Gezi noted the issue raised and suggested to Ms Maphosa that she raise a motion for the House to debate.
“You have raised a valid point,” she said. “I think you can raise a motion regarding that issue that boys have been left out. All the entities have been concentrating on girls’ issues, leaving out the boys, so that it can be debated in this House.
“I think we can also urge the Committee to go and carry out investigations so that all the matters can be debated and reach to a point where things will change for our boys in schools.”