Predators in the Classroom

While education is often heralded as a tool for empowerment and change, in some Kenyan primary schools it has become a setting for exploitation.

Astonishing and as unbelievable as it sounds, little girls are being predated on by the very teachers who are supposed to protect and educate them.

Some instances do get reported, but many go unreported, known only within the teaching fraternity. The stories below were provided by a member of the teaching fraternity who wishes to remain anonymous.

In a school in Nyanza, a deputy head teacher defiled a 12 year old girl. When the girl reported it to the mother, she initially took the legal route and went to the police. However, the deputy head teacher got wind of this, and offered the mother hush money on the condition that the case be withdrawn.

On receiving the first installment, the mother told her daughter to lie to the police and the case was withdrawn. Afterwards, this teacher began his transfer process to a school in a different county. He then stopped picking the calls and the second installment was not sent.

When she tried to re-report the incident, it was too late; without physical evidence, it became her daughter's word against the teacher's, making it difficult to prove the crime.

The Late Mwai Kibaki, the third president of Kenya, introduced free public primary education to ensure every child had the opportunity to get an education. Due to this, a significant percentage of students who attend public primary schools come from economically challenged backgrounds.

Teachers have then used this to their advantage. Somehow, it also begs the question if these parents love and adore money more than the wellbeing of their daughters. It is understandable that they are economically challenged however it doesn’t justify the predation of minors and these perpetrators getting away with it.

When a head teacher, who is at the top of the school's hierarchy, decides to misbehave, it sets a troubling and hideous example. Other teachers may follow their lead, creating a culture where misconduct becomes normalized.

A head teacher, in Nyanza region, has been incessantly defiling students of 12 to 14 years. This has been going on for around 10 years and reflects on how many students have been defiled.

One student decided to report the issue to their parents, but the head teacher swiftly arranged for his transfer to another school. He allegedly paid off officials at the sub-county and county offices of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to facilitate the transfer.

The TSC, which is responsible for employing, deploying, transferring, and disciplining teachers, took no action against him. As a result, wherever he was transferred, the students aged 12 to 14 continue to face the same defilement.

A significant power dynamic exists between students and teachers, rooted in societal expectations and is severely exploited. From childhood, children are taught to respect their elders, not talk back at them and follow what they’re told.

Basically, the words of elders are the truth and the law and should be followed conventionally.

In primary schools, teachers wield considerable authority over their students. This authority stems not only from their role as educators but also from the societal respect and influence they command.

They are seen as figures of authority, knowledge and being known as ‘mwalimu’, which translates to ‘teacher’ demands respect.

Culturally, talking of and about sex is considered a taboo. African culture is still conservative in nature in some aspects; sex talk is one of it. It is considered a private matter that only husband and wife should do and not even talk about it.

The lack of open conversations about sex and blindly following teachers are the societal teachings and expectations that fuel the power dynamic. By discouraging questioning authority figures, students are left feeling powerless to resist or report inappropriate behavior. Teachers therefore exploit their positions of power to prey on vulnerable female students.

This issue is particularly concerning in public primary schools, where the power dynamics between teachers and students are stark, and the potential for abuse is high.

It creates an environment where young girls are particularly susceptible to exploitation. Teachers who prey on female students often use their authority to groom their victims.

They may initially offer special attention, gifts, or privileges to build trust and create a sense of dependency. This grooming process can make students feel complicit in the abuse, adding layers of guilt and confusion. In private tuition sessions, often held in secluded spaces, inappropriate touching can escalate to rape.

During events like music festivals and sports, teachers exploit the opportunity to prey on young girls outside the confines of the school premises. These settings provide more freedom for teachers to act inappropriately. The students are also threatened with disciplinary action if they refuse to comply or disclose the abuse.

Teaching is a noble profession and these teachers are ruining the sanctity of the nobility of the profession and the education system by extension.

The tradition of rape and defilement in public primary schools erodes trust in educational institutions meant to be safe havens for learning and growth.

In the 21st century, a time of feminism and women empowerment, it is bewildering that a trusted guardian would exploit their position.