SODOMY ROCKS CHIZONGWE SCHOOL AS WORRIED PARENTS RAISE ALARM

SODOMY ROCKS CHIZONGWE SCHOOL AS WORRIED PARENTS RAISE ALARM

PARENTS and guardians of Chipata’s Chizongwe Technical School have raised concerns over allegations of sodomy at the school.

This has sparked outrage among parents and guardians, with some accusing the school administration of failing to address the issue in an urgent and transparent manner.

A parent recently shared a disturbing account in a WhatsApp group and revealed that their 12 year old Grade eight son was allegedly sodomised by a 17 year old Grade 10 pupil during the third term last year.

The family only discovered the incident while investigating a case of stolen books on the last day of the term.

The parent alleged that their son had become withdrawn, depressed and missed classes yet the school did not inform them of the situation.

“The school knows what I’m talking about. What hurts the most is the fact that the school never informed us when it happened. The boy was missing classes and when paraded in front of the teachers to ask about him, the boy was painted blue black.”

“My son had withdrawn from school and slept into depression and nobody cared. He was missing classes but nobody cared. Claiming to be sick as one of the teachers put it but nobody cared. My boy loved the school until he called the father asking for a transfer claiming bulling is too much. This got us thinking, on the closing meeting, we overhead the head teacher talking about sodomy,” shared the parent.

The write up triggered heated discussions among parents and teachers on the WhatsApp group with many expressing fear for their children’s safety.

Meanwhile, Eastern Provincial Education Officer (PEO) Brainely Malambo confirmed awareness of the allegations and stated that government had intervened in dealing with sodomy issues.

Malambo claimed that there were churches who would go to schools in Eastern province and call pupils for prayers at awkward hours.

He stated that schools are meant to focus on academic excellence and discouraged any activities that may compromise pupils’ safety or well being.

“One time I had that issue, I don’t want people to be meeting my pupils at awkward hours what they are doing is not about church. I was attacked by political parties on social media,  that’s what I said yet I had all the data that people were doing in my schools.”

“People went quiet, they almost took that matter to parliament until some more data were unleashed. My children were sent there to concentrate on school. I’m here to ensure that my children learn. I said no more questionable meetings for my children at night that are coming through some churches. If there is such a pupil at Chizongwe, they should be taken back home and they should be taken to day schools,” charged Malambo.

In the meantime, Chizongwe Technical School headteacher Ronald Mugala acknowledged that sodomy had been a long standing issue but reassured parents that the administration was working with law enforcement agencies and other institutions to address the problem.

In a WhatsApp message statement that was forwarded to Kalemba by one of the parents, Mugala outlined the school’s efforts, including expelling perpetrators and collaborating with government agencies like the police and the Ministry of Education.

He stressed that the vice often originates in communities and spills over into schools, making it a shared responsibility between parents and the administration.

“Basing on our findings, the sodomy issue has been a complex vice that has existed at our school for some years but thank God it’s been unearthed and being arrested steadily. Who needs the applause, the old silence or the current exposure? I can challenge you, while our boys are with you, ask them about this vice, since when and the current stance. You will be shocked. The school, together with other government institutions like Police, DEC, PTC, MOE (PS, PEOs, DEBS) SU, is taking the fight seriously and steadily,” said Mugala.

“Sodomy is coming right from our own homes and perpetrators are right, our own boys from some, amongst ourselves and the school is on the receiving hand. It’s from our communities to the school and suspected to be a strong movement probably funded, boarding schools being fertile targets. Some of the parents that we have ever called over such cases can attest to this fact because no any parent doubted the allegations, though shocked in disbelief.”

“The school rules have been straightforward, the perpetrators have been kicked out. Remember, the school is just on the control management or management control and these boys are coming from our own homes. Remember, every parent we summoned expressed strong shock and disbelief and cried. These children can shock parents.”

By Catherine Pule
Kalemba,