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on the condition that the case be withdrawn.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police and the case was withdrawn.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 21 st
century, a time of feminism and women empowerment, it is
bewildering that a trusted guardian would exploit their
position.