adminTobias Mudzingwa Herald Correspondent
An organisation championing female students’ rights — the Female Student Network Trust — has called for stiffer penalties against teaching staff in institutions of higher learning who sexually harass female students.
A baseline survey conducted in 2015 showed that between 75 and 98 percent of female students are sexually harassed during their tenure at tertiary institutions, mainly by male lecturers and non-teaching staff.
FSNT executive director Ms Evernice Munando said if current trends in these institutions are anything to go by, the statistics four years later could even be worse, adding that Government should withdraw teaching certificates for lecturers found wanting.
“The national baseline survey on sexual harassment in institutions of higher learning revealed shocking results. As I’m speaking today, I think the number of cases has trebled because of the influx of cases we are receiving right now and the non-effectiveness of the policies that are in place to deal with perpetrators of sexual harassment,” she said.
Ms Munando added that the survey also illuminated gaps currently present in efforts to curb and eradicate sexual harassment in tertiary institutions.
“The results also brought out the programming gaps which are existing in terms of sexual harassment policies which are non-existent in most of these tertiary institutions, which we are now advocating for in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development.
“We want a law that criminalises sexual harassment in these institutions because we have heard that the perpetrators are not being penalised and are getting away with it. Some of them resign from these institutions and secure a job somewhere,” she added.
Asked on what FSNT thinks could be the remedy to this condemnable behaviour by lecturers, she said cutting perpetrators’ terms of employment would send a good message to the rest of like people or would-be offenders.
Said Ms Munando: “Revoking teaching certificates for lecturers found guilty of sexual harassment will set a good precedence because a teacher is someone who is being entrusted by the parents, the institution and the career itself because of the morals involved. If one breaches these morals and ethics, that is uncalled for and the teaching certificate must be cancelled”.
Meanwhile, the organisation is set to hold a multi-stakeholders indaba next week meant to consolidate all efforts to deal with sexual harassment in institutions of higher learning. The indaba will see several stakeholders including Government ministries, students and media houses coming together to share ideas.
Online Reporter