News / National
Coltart condemns school for subjecting female pupils to virginity tests
03 Apr 2012 at 01:12hrs | Views
Following recent reports of a primary school in Matabeleland, Tsetse Primary, subjecting children to virginity test, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart on Monday said virginity testing in schools is contrary to the Government policy and heads that do that will be subjected to disciplinary procedure.
Coltart said schools had no right to unilaterally sanction such tests.
The minister's remarks come at a time when villagers and school officials are already at each other's throats over the matter.
"We certainly do not condone genetic testing in schools as that is contrary to Government policy. Any teacher who does that would be subjected to disciplinary procedure.
"Headmasters do not have a right to make decisions of that nature. Matters of health about the child should be handled with the full consent of the parents," said Minister Coltart in a telephone interview.
"In matters like these, no matter how well intentioned the school heads might be, they should not do it on their own. It is fundamentally wrong to do so.
"If there are any allegations of rape, the head should work closely with parents to decide on the issue. Parents have a right also to approach our district, provincial and national offices, even myself if they have problems over these issues."
Minister Coltart said he was going to liaise with Bulawayo provincial education director Mr Dan Moyo to produce a report of what transpired at the school.
Mr Moyo on Sunday said he was not aware of the issue.
Contacted for comment Childline Bulawayo officer Mrs Mlala also condemned virginity testing at the school and distanced her organisation from it.
"Those people did their exercise alone and as Childline we were not involved. We were not part of the programme. Those are some of the things that we condemn and we do not know how our name is linked to that. Thank you," said Mrs Mlala before dropping the phone.
Allegations are that sometime at the end of February, Tsetse Primary officials invited some medical practitioners from Nyamandlovu to examine all Grade Seven pupils at the school.
According to the school's development committee chairman Mr Mandson Tshuma, the tests were conducted after discovering that there were many reports of child physical and sexual abuse in the community.
Although the school authorities feel there is nothing wrong with the exercise, which was meant to expose perpetrators of child abuse, some villagers feel the act was meant to embarrass their children.
The parents alleged that their children were stripped naked in front of their male counterparts while male nurses examined their private parts.
They also said they were not consulted over the issue and described the move as a form of abuse.
Tsetse Primary is situated at Killspring Farm in West Acre, about 27km from Bulawayo along Bulawayo-Plumtree Road.
The school was opened in 2005 and has an enrolment of 245 pupils and seven teachers including the head.
Coltart said schools had no right to unilaterally sanction such tests.
The minister's remarks come at a time when villagers and school officials are already at each other's throats over the matter.
"We certainly do not condone genetic testing in schools as that is contrary to Government policy. Any teacher who does that would be subjected to disciplinary procedure.
"Headmasters do not have a right to make decisions of that nature. Matters of health about the child should be handled with the full consent of the parents," said Minister Coltart in a telephone interview.
"In matters like these, no matter how well intentioned the school heads might be, they should not do it on their own. It is fundamentally wrong to do so.
"If there are any allegations of rape, the head should work closely with parents to decide on the issue. Parents have a right also to approach our district, provincial and national offices, even myself if they have problems over these issues."
Minister Coltart said he was going to liaise with Bulawayo provincial education director Mr Dan Moyo to produce a report of what transpired at the school.
Mr Moyo on Sunday said he was not aware of the issue.
Contacted for comment Childline Bulawayo officer Mrs Mlala also condemned virginity testing at the school and distanced her organisation from it.
"Those people did their exercise alone and as Childline we were not involved. We were not part of the programme. Those are some of the things that we condemn and we do not know how our name is linked to that. Thank you," said Mrs Mlala before dropping the phone.
Allegations are that sometime at the end of February, Tsetse Primary officials invited some medical practitioners from Nyamandlovu to examine all Grade Seven pupils at the school.
According to the school's development committee chairman Mr Mandson Tshuma, the tests were conducted after discovering that there were many reports of child physical and sexual abuse in the community.
Although the school authorities feel there is nothing wrong with the exercise, which was meant to expose perpetrators of child abuse, some villagers feel the act was meant to embarrass their children.
The parents alleged that their children were stripped naked in front of their male counterparts while male nurses examined their private parts.
They also said they were not consulted over the issue and described the move as a form of abuse.
Tsetse Primary is situated at Killspring Farm in West Acre, about 27km from Bulawayo along Bulawayo-Plumtree Road.
The school was opened in 2005 and has an enrolment of 245 pupils and seven teachers including the head.
Source - TC
