16 teachers paraded naked to check who was menstruating!

A SENIOR staffer at Nkayi High School in Nkayi District, Matabeleland North province is accused of demeaning female teachers after forcing them to pose naked for an ancillary staff member to check which of them was on periods.

The senior member is said to have flown off the handle after finding out that someone had messed up a toilet, with what was said to be menstrual blood, sources said. The embarrassing incident which happened last Wednesday has destroyed morale among teachers at the school who feel the senior member was treating them like slaves. About 16 female teachers were forced to undergo the demeaning behaviour.

Breathing fire, the boss is said to have summoned female teachers to the staffroom and demanded a confession from "the culprit." Quivering in fear, some teachers are said to have pointed out that pupils also use the toilet. A teacher at the school who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal blew the cover on the incident.

"We were called to the staff room towards break time. The senior staffer was furious and insulted us with unprintable words accusing us of causing the mess in the female toilet. They did not take any reasoning from us and ordered us to strip naked so that an ancillary staff member who does cleaning at the school could check who was on her period.

"We tried to resist, but they would not take a no for an answer. They said only the culprit would refuse a physical inspection. All the female teachers who were at the school were forced to endure the dehumanising act. We lined up after removing all the clothes from the lower half of our bodies and spread our legs so that the grounds lady could inspect us," said the source.

The teachers said they felt violated by one of their own and they feel they have no protection at the school. The source said to add salt to injury, a log book has since been created for anyone visiting the toilet, which now remains locked all the time.

"We removed our panties in the presence of the school cleaner. Some of the teachers are married people who are close to retirement but were violated by someone who is in their 40s in terms of age. We were never given the results which confirms that this act (messing up the toilet) was probably done by a learner. Our dignity was taken because if you are married you only take off your panties for your partner, not to be inspected under those circumstances. We have been forced to use the learners' toilets because imagine being recorded the time you enter the toilet and when you come out. This is witchcraft, the environment is no longer conducive for us to perform our duties," said the source.

The handles of the toilet door in question were this week vandalised as teachers threatened to take the matter to the District Schools Inspector as the school head has remained mute despite the attacks against the female teachers. Efforts to get a comment from the school administration were unsuccessful. However, a manager who works with an organisation that deals with fighting gender-based violence and abuse against women said the affected teachers must get counselling.

"If this is true, it is sad and distressful that the female teachers had to go through such a harrowing situation where their dignity has not been respected. The affected teachers must receive emotional support (counselling) as experiencing such is traumatic. The teachers are encouraged to document the incident and follow the procedure in reporting the incident to the education authorities. The affected teachers may want to consult legal professionals on their rights and options," she said.