THE Education Minister has made a very reassuring declaration that any teacher who is found abusing a student will be dealt with condignly by the Ministry of Education and it will be ensured that the entire force of the Sexual Offences Act will be brought to bear on any such person.She also maintained that they will facilitate the process of ensuring that the Sexual Offences Act, which caters specifically for people who breach the trust that is placed in them, be brought to bear on whomever is found guilty.
“This is a warning to any teacher who has ill intentions: do not trouble our children or we will deal with you condignly and we will help the authorities to prosecute you and successfully, once there is the evidence,” the Education Minister declared.
 While it cannot be said that abuse of students by teachers is widespread, it nevertheless surfaces periodically and it is heartening that the Education Minister has pronounced on the matter in the most unambiguous manner.
  It may not be a prevalent problem in our education system but it could be a more serious problem than what we know because not every instance of abuse of students by teachers is reported by victims or is brought to light. Therefore, the issue needs to be treated with utmost seriousness, because we cannot allow it to grow into a “monster” as we often do in Guyana.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says sexual violence against children in the Caribbean is “greatly underreported,” noting also that it is often “culturally sanctioned”.
In a report issued here on Saturday, UNICEF said child sexual abuse is “shrouded in secrecy and abetted by shame.
“A study in Jamaica indicated that men often believe they have a right to engage in sex with girls under their care, while children in Guyana reported believing that sexual violence can be blamed on a victim’s clothing,” the report said.
“Sexual violence against boys is especially underreported, and in some countries, is not even recognised as a crime,” it added.
 Nadine Perrault, UNICEF Regional Child Protection Adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean, said sexual abuse happens everywhere “at home, at school and in other institutions, and has serious physical, psychological and social impacts not only on girls and boys but also on the fabric of society.
“It is one of the main factors that contribute to HIV infections, and that is why it is not surprising that this Region has one of the highest prevalence of HIV and AIDS worldwide,” she said.
“Our experiences in preventing and responding to sexual abuse have taught us that laws by themselves have been ineffective in protecting children, mainly because of the silence surrounding the issue and the risks that victims face in speaking out, risks such as  stigma, shame, harm and further violence,” she said, adding “and then, often, children do not know where to turn”.

This newspaper recently reported on the ‘incident’ in Mahdia, where police in that area were told about a male student being missing from the student’s dormitory, and was seen on the back steps of the male teacher’s quarters in the nearby village of Campbelltown.
After receiving the information, regional education welfare officers and the police swooped down on the teacher’s quarters where they found both the teacher and student in their underwear only.
The police questioned both the teacher and student after gaining entry to the bedroom where they found a gel, generally used as a sexual lubricant.
The student was removed from the quarters and was immediately given a medical examination by the doctor at the Regional Hospital in Mahdia.
 Such incidents are frightening and worrisome, because they signal a breakdown in morality and professionalism in our society which would have severe long-term adverse effects on our national developmental process.
 Teachers have crucial roles to play in ensuring that children become a success in life and in turn make  positive contributions in the development of their country.
 Abuse of students by teachers in any form could damage a child emotionally and psychologically for life and in the process destroy his/her future.
 Therefore against this backdrop, the Education Ministry needs to ensure that we have a Schools Welfare Department that is fully equipped and has the capacity to monitor and deal with the issue of child abuse, adopting a preventive approach,instead of a reactive one.