5.1 Workshop findings
5.2 Strategic actions
Ministry initiatives
The final stage of the research was devoted to exploring possible strategies to address the problem of abuse in schools. To this end, participatory workshops were held with pupils in Schools A and C in October 1999, and with teachers in all four schools in January 2000 as part of their termly staff development programme.
The workshops with pupils were carried out primarily with girls but boys were also involved (see Appendix 5 for a summary). It was noticeable how few strategies the girls came up with, but this was perhaps not surprising given their passive acceptance on the whole of the circumstances of their lives and the fact that they feared retaliation if they were too assertive. It was interesting to note that the boys too were fearful in the school, either of being beaten by teachers or of being bullied by older boys.
As for the teachers' workshops (see Appendix 6 for a summary) they were noticeable in revealing the teachers' rather negative and scornful attitudes towards girls, typical of society generally. When asked what problems they faced when teaching girls, they produced a long list (the prioritised versions have been reproduced in the appendix). At the same time, however, in somewhat contradictory mode, they appeared to sympathise with their problems, to see the role that poverty, family background, exposure to abuse, long distances to school, domestic labour etc. played in making their lives difficult and perhaps encouraging them to enter sexual relations with men and boys. They also saw parents as being very much to blame. Despite their negative attitudes, they did propose workable strategies to address the problem of abuse.
The workshops revealed that there are many attitudinal barriers to change, on the part of girls, boys, teachers and parents. A reduction in abusive behaviour towards girls would require a radical change in school culture, and ultimately in society's view of women and girls. In particular, it would require the school to address the general issue of bullying, which affects boys as well as girls, and corporal punishment, the widespread and indiscriminate use of which contributes to the atmosphere of violence. The sexual abuse of girls is part and parcel of a school culture which institutionalises a variety of forms of aggression and violence.
The workshops also revealed the limitation of what the major actors (girls and teachers) felt they could do, or even what the school as a whole could do to help girls. As ever, this comes down to the subordinate status of women in society and their perceived lack of freedom for action. For example, girls said they were frightened of retaliation by boys if they confronted them about their behaviour, and indeed we know that boys frequently threatened to beat them just for turning down their proposals. In one school, the married female teachers said that it was impossible for them to report abusing male teachers because their husbands would not understand why they were reporting other women's husbands. A woman might end up being accused of seeking to cover up her own secret affair with the accused teacher.
The key to addressing the issue is breaking the silence at all levels, among girls, teachers, school heads, parents and Ministry officials. Many of the strategic actions suggested below stress opening up dialogue, information sharing and co-operation. It is the opinion of the researchers that, if the issue was openly discussed in the school, male teachers would be less likely to feel they can proposition girls with impunity. The wider cultural environment encourages silence from women and from children, especially girls.
At the same time, there is a clear tendency for everyone to blame the other and to expect others to change or take action rather than the onus being on themselves. So, teachers and heads blame the girls for immoral behaviour and their parents for not bringing them up properly; heads also blame the teachers for loose morals and lax behaviour, the Ministry blames the heads for not enforcing good standards and working in the interest of the school, and so on.... The one notable exception is the girls, who tend to blame themselves when they get into trouble; almost all the girls who were asked thought that a girl who got pregnant had only herself to blame and many also thought she should be punished. As we have seen, most parents, teachers and boys agreed. There is therefore a need for collective responsibility and accountability as well as for collective action.
Girls can
Teachers can
School management (heads and deputies) can
The Ministry of Education (central and regional) can
Teacher training colleges can
The following list comprises a number of strategic actions that individuals and/or groups can engage in, with a view to reducing the school-based abuse of girls. These recommendations emerge from the two sets of workshops, supplemented by suggestions from the interviews with school heads and Ministry officials. They do not of themselves provide an overarching strategy; that is for those in positions of authority to formulate and to implement. However, it is clear from this study that abuse has to be tackled on many fronts through a holistic approach. The following provides a range of actions which can form the basis of an institution-based strategy to counteract abuse. With a concerted effort, the impact could be significant.
· act as a group, discuss issues and problems, support each other· refuse to see a male teacher on his own, to go to his house or to his base room on request except in the company of another girl
· move around the school with other girls to reduce the opportunity of a girl being left vulnerable to assault by boys; likewise when walking to and from the school
· report cases, as a group preferably, of abusive behaviour to the Guidance and Counselling teacher, to the head teacher, to their parents or even to the police21; seek help from those teachers or social workers they trust - do not suffer in silence
· make it clear to teachers who proposition them that they are aware of the code of conduct on teacher behaviour and that 'improper association' is a punishable offence
· make it clear to teachers that they know that corporal punishment is banned for girls
· learn about their rights.
· create a more friendly and supportive environment which will encourage girls to come to them with their problems, and will enable teachers to be more understanding of their circumstances. Knowing all one's pupils by name, addressing them individually and showing that girls and boys are valued equally are important first steps. More effort can also be made to provide individual guidance and counselling to girls. Female teachers can hold informal talks with groups of girls and provide them with sex education.The issue of corporal punishment is difficult to address with teachers. Its banning is not approved of by most teachers, and the policy of only caning boys is controversial. Most teachers in the three mixed sex schools strongly endorsed its use, in particular in the school in the peri-urban area, where teachers considered the community to be violent and pupils often out of control. However, most also conceded that some teachers used it excessively and at times arbitrarily. The possibility of stamping it out completely in the near future is remote, especially because heads themselves practise it routinely and because parents and many pupils also support its use. The Ministry however should attempt to enforce the rules on its use, to monitor it and to make heads responsible for complaints by pupils or parents and injuries suffered by pupils. Better trained teachers are also more likely to be able to impose discipline without resorting to physical punishment.· take greater responsibility to help girls to make informed decisions about their lives and to address their problems constructively. Recognise that teachers must act as positive role models for both girls and boys at all times.
· take Guidance and Counselling lessons more seriously and try to teach them more effectively. Sex education should be included. A more participatory approach would encourage girls to speak about issues. Some Guidance and Counselling lessons could be given to girls and boys separately. Using drama, visual representation (drawings) and debates on topical issues may also encourage participation; girls can be encouraged to write about their ambitions and fears in life.
· encourage greater understanding and respect between boys and girls; foster mature relationships between boys and girls so that they work collaboratively, e.g. when doing homework, rather than antagonistically. Requiring them to work more closely during class activities and encouraging discussion and debate on issues of relevance to them may help.
· encourage girls in particular to take on positions of responsibility, e.g. as group leaders, monitors etc.; motivate them to excel, by appreciating effort and rewarding good work; praise them and avoid derogatory remarks which belittle them and demean the female sex; use the new human rights curriculum as a way of highlighting girls' rights and issues of equality; show boys that they share responsibility in a sexual relationship (e.g. if a girl gets pregnant).
· take the register more frequently to cut down on pupil absenteeism; enforce rules on girls not wearing make up or accessories, and on both boys and girls wearing correct uniform, so that pupils understand that they are working in a disciplined environment
· avoid verbal abuse at all times and ask the head to endorse moderate corporal punishment only as a last resort.
School culture
Teaching and training
Enforcement of rules
Outside resources
Parental involvement
· change the school culture of violence and complacency, enforce effective disciplinary measures against teachers and pupils who indulge in abusive behaviour, provide more effective staff development, and access outside resources to help in this· develop a more supportive school environment, with a greater emphasis on understanding and helping pupils, especially girls; supervise and reduce physical punishment given by teachers and make it clear that bullying and aggressive behaviour, whether by boys towards girls, or older boys/girls towards younger boys/girls, will not be tolerated.
· provide a forum for pupils, especially girls, to talk about issues of abuse in a non-threatening environment, possibly with individuals from outside the school (given the girls' current distrust of teachers); also for boys and girls to discuss issues together in an informal setting; introduce a 'principal's hour' for the head to meet pupils and discuss problems and issues. Parents could be involved in some of these activities.
· teach pupils greater self-esteem and autonomy, e.g. establish an effective pupil representation system (student council) with girls and boys at least equally represented; invite suggestions from pupils for improvements to the school (anonymously if preferable through a suggestion box); involve pupils in planning and leading school assemblies and other school functions; encourage pupils to start clubs in or outside the school; encourage girls to take up leadership positions. In all such initiatives, girls and boys should be seen to be treated equally and given equal responsibilities.
· Ensure that a female teacher always accompanies teams on sports trips (through a roster).
· ensure that Guidance and Counselling is officially placed on the timetable, taught only by qualified (trained) teachers and by only one or two teachers in each school; if possible, arrange some in-service training to expose teachers to more participatory methods for teaching the subject.· include training for teachers on how to tackle abuse within the school in staff development sessions; on how to deal with pupils' problems, especially those of girls; provide awareness raising around gender issues so that teachers are made aware of the ways in which they can undermine girls' self-confidence, perpetuate negative stereotypes about female characteristics and behaviour, dampen girls' aspirations and contribute to the institutionalised abuse of girls. Female teachers in particular need to be helped to become more assertive; they should see it as then-duty to protect girls from abuse by male colleagues, to support them in asserting their rights and to stop gender violence in schools. As women, they too lack the power to act.
· try to improve the provision of textbooks and good library materials, so that pupils can complete their homework (and avoid being beaten) and be occupied during breaks and free time. Funds could perhaps be raised by parents and the community.
· ensure that teachers know that they will be reported if they transgress the regulations on appropriate behaviour towards pupils,e.g. the ban on pupils entering teachers' houses or base rooms. Verbal and physical abuse by teachers will not be tolerated. At the same time, rules regarding pupil behaviour (coming to school drunk, not wearing proper uniform etc) should be enforced fairly and consistently, so as to ensure a disciplined learning environment.
· ensure that the reasons for punishments are clearly explained and are aimed at correcting behaviour rather than engaging the pupils in tasks which are not useful or educational.
· ensure that parents know what the school regulations are; involve parents in the formulation of school policy on teacher and pupil management.
· restrict, or even ban, the sale of snacks and drinks during school hours, so as to reduce the significance of pocket money within the school and thus lessen the incentive for girls to take money from boys.
· invite resource persons from outside to come to talk to the pupils about 'life' issues around sexual health, abuse and children's rights (e.g. health officers, medical practitioners, police, the Victim Friendly Court officer, social welfare officers, officers involved in the Child Welfare Forum)· invite respected female members of the community to come and talk to the pupils about their lives and the role that schooling played in it. In particular, successful or high profile women from the region, e.g. women in senior public positions, female professionals, businesswomen, female members of parliament, can provide affirmative role models for girls, and show them that women can be highly successful, can aspire to a career and an independent income alongside marriage and child-rearing.
· provide imaginative careers guidance for girls so as to broaden their horizons beyond a future as housewife and mother, and to raise their self-esteem and expectations. Inviting successful women to speak to them is one strategy.
· invite girls or women who dropped out of school through pregnancy and subsequently saw their lives enter a negative spiral to talk about their experiences; if available show films on this subject; even consider inviting girls or women who have contracted the HIV virus to speak.
· work closely with parents and the community; make the school more accessible and welcoming to parents and make them feel part of it; encourage them to take an interest in their children's education, problems etc; respond positively to parents' suggestions and contributions; avoid using parents' meetings as a vehicle to reprimand them and highlight their shortcomings; offer services to the community as a sign of co-operation and respect.
· seek support from the Ministry on all the above initiatives.
· encourage parents and guardians to talk to their children more, in particular to girls about problems relating to puberty. Even though this may not be considered appropriate culturally, the AIDS epidemic makes this an urgent task. Moreover, the tradition of girls talking about sexuality and puberty with aunts, and boys with uncles, is fast disappearing as family structures break down and people become more mobile in their work. Parents and schools together need to take on the responsibility of providing pupils with sex education.It is important that parents and guardians monitor the movement of their children, know who their friends are and how they spend their leisure time. Much abusive activity occurs between the home and the school, especially when children travel long distances alone.· encourage parents and guardians to treat boys and girls equally, to value the education of girls as offering them career and employment opportunities alongside marriage and child rearing, which will make a positive contribution to family well being. Parents need to help girls to raise their self-esteem and to share out household tasks equitably. Those who are looking after children as guardians must treat them as fairly as their own children; they should be reminded that the ill-treatment of children constitutes abuse and is punishable by law.
· encourage parents to trust what their children tell them, especially when girls have problems, and to listen to their children rather than blame them (girls especially)
· make it clear to parents that they value their involvement in their children's education and that they expect them to assist and supervise homework, to show an interest in their children's progress and to discuss this progress with the teachers
· work closely with parents in monitoring pupils' attendance at school; parents need to liaise with the school and to express concern if their children do not come home on time, make excuses or say they have to do homework at school.
· encourage parents to provide their children with their basic requirements, e.g. school fees and levies (to be provided on time), bus fares and pocket money.
· encourage parents to refrain from using abusive language or behaviour towards their children.
· ensure a rigorous selection of trainee teachers, which will include routine background checks (e.g. for a criminal record) and vetting of teacher appointments, to include a careful investigation of why teachers are asking for a transfer, their performance in previous teaching posts etc· select head teachers carefully, less on seniority and more on record of good performance, management and leadership skills
· provide training for heads in management and leadership, to include how to take effective disciplinary action with both teachers and pupils; this should also train them as to how to maximise the staff development time available so as to tackle these issues effectively22
· limit the number of teachers who teach Guidance and Counselling in each school to one or two (one full time) to teach all lessons in this subject; ensure regular visits to schools from the Ministry of Education to support the teaching of this subject (there was no evidence of this at all from the schools studied).
· provide a gender awareness component in all in-service training courses and workshops, also for heads and education officers; provide more effective training for Guidance and Counselling teachers
· provide greater support for teachers of this subject through materials, syllabus and guidelines which are distributed and used in all schools; improve communication with schools on the requirements of Guidance and Counselling; ensure a more effective distribution of the syllabus and materials to schools
· establish a more effective, and less cumbersome, reporting system to encourage heads to take action against abusing teachers and pupils, while also making heads responsible where they fail to report cases of teacher abuse
· send circulars to schools with the names of all teachers found guilty of crimes of abuse, to act as a deterrent to others; liaise with courts to publicise cases of school-based abuse
· create a helpline in regional Ministries where abused pupils can call for help or a letter box for pupils to report perpetrators of abuse, whether at home or in the school. The helpline number and address should be publicised in schools.
· improve links with other regional authorities and agencies involved in the reporting and treatment of abused schoolchildren, e.g. police, health, social welfare, NGOs; better recording and sharing of information, e.g. with hospitals (through the Ministry of Health) and with the police, in cases of schoolgirl (and schoolboy) rape
· share experience with other active bodies working to counteract abuse, HIV/AIDS and domestic violence, and to promote women's and children's rights, e.g. with UNICEF on curriculum materials, with the Ministry of Health on health campaigns, with the police on the Victim Friendly Court system, all with a view to educating children about their rights and legal procedures to follow in cases of abuse
· try to place married teaching couples in the same school or in the same locality, rather than split them up as currently happens
· enforce fully the policy that girls who have been expelled from one school because of pregnancy can continue their education in another school after the birth.
· provide awareness building among trainee teachers during their pre-service training, especially greater emphasis on issues of ethical standards of behaviour (taught in the course on ethics and values) so that they are aware of the seriousness of abusing the trust that is placed in them as teachers· provide training in the use of more participatory and enquiry-based teaching methods especially in teaching Guidance and Counselling lessons
· provide gender awareness training so that trainees are made aware of the ways in which teachers can, consciously or not, perpetuate negative stereotypes about female characteristics and behaviour through the way that they treat girls and boys in the school, both in class and outside
· include supervision of trainee teachers' behaviour while on teaching practice, not just of academic performance; obtain the opinions of heads and pupils on the trainees' behaviour
· link up with higher education institutions and schools to carry out research on issues relating to child abuse; involve teachers and college lecturers in this
As has been seen, strategic actions to address the abuse of girls can cover a wide range of areas which include: individual initiatives by girls and by teachers with their pupils; school-based initiatives, usually with the head responsible for seeing them through; and initiatives by the Ministry. Teachers, school heads and Ministry officials all need to encourage parents to become more involved in the school. An integral holistic approach to stamping out abuse is necessary.
It is not difficult to see that the above strategic actions require significant change of attitude and behaviour on the part of teachers, head teachers, parents, Ministry officials, boys, and girls themselves. The issue of sexual abuse is tied up with the illegal use of corporal punishment, as they form part of the same culture of violence within schools. Change in attitude and behaviour at the individual level will only be effective if it results in a change of institutional culture, towards a more 'caring' and democratically run school.
Translating the above from being just a 'wish list' of desirable changes, created by individuals and groups who prefer to see others take action rather than themselves, into a strategic plan is not easy. However, below are listed some possible Ministry interventions which might form part of a strategic plan:
· School-based interventions can be initiated through NGOs already doing work with abused women, e.g. Musasa, or on HIV/AIDS education e.g. ARHEP (see Kaim in references). Given the girls' distrust of teachers, any interventions which rely exclusively on teachers are unlikely to work. A national NGO, possibly with external funding, could send experienced facilitators into schools to run participatory workshops with girls and boys to develop awareness of the seriousness of abuse (as an activity that can bring civil prosecution or disciplinary measures on the perpetrator), and to identify suitable strategies for victims to report it and contain it effectively.
· School-based workshops can be held with teachers and parents to raise awareness of the issues surrounding abuse and develop school-based action plans to address it. Bringing the issue into an open forum for debate will make it more difficult for perpetrators to carry on without fear of being reported.FOOTNOTES· At the regional and national level, a conference can be organised to disseminate the findings of the report to education officers, school heads, and to civic leaders, police officers, social welfare officers and NGO personnel working with children and adolescents. This can be supplemented by a series of workshops which seek to develop national and regional initiatives and draw up an action plan for targeting schools.
· External support can be provided to NGOs or other civil groups so that they can engage in lobbying and advocacy work to bring the issue to the forefront of the government policy agenda in the field of education and health.
· Funding can be provided for additional research into the effects that abuse has on girls' learning and achievement (not explored in this study).
21 During the workshops, one girl said she had reported a boy who hit her to the police and he had been fined - she insisted that she had gone alone to the police station. It was not possible to verify her story.22 Those heads interviewed appeared to find it difficult to confront the issue of teacher abuse, abuse by older boys and general bullying in their schools. They were quick to blame the teachers for their loose morals, the pupils for their poor upbringing, the parents for their ignorance and bad behaviour, and the community generally.
