I was surprised to see the Report on Hidden Talent Academy 2 weeks ago after the candidates discovered that they have not been registered by their headmaster to sit for thier KCPE Final Examinations. When asked the headteacher alleged that he  had made payments the previous year and his students did not sit for the examinations so the money was to be carried forward. Unfortunately the Teacher Service Commission Code of Ethics does not apply to him since Hidden Talent is a private school. KNEC distanced itself from the situation claming that they give enough notice for students to check if they are registered way in advance.

Well 21 students from Hidden Talent will have to re-sit thier examinations next year....

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/Kenyanews/Officials-shift-blame-over-missed-exams-10467.html

This reminded me of the first time I heard about the Hidden Talent Academy. It was after they agreed to take some of the girls from our Binti Football Club on a Soccer Scholarship. I was encouraged by the commitment the pastor seemed to have for developing and nurturing adolescent girls. Four of our girls joined the school in Form 1 and began the year on a high note. During mid-term when the girls came back home the experience the girls shared was totally different. Yes, the girls complained about the food,t heir sleeping areas and the mode that the teachers used to teach the students. Thal is usually what most students complained about the first time when they join a boarding school. Well it did not end there.....What followed gave me goose bumps and made me sick to the bone! The girls began to share the fears they had around their security within the school and also the sexual advances that the male teachers and students made at them. One of the girls called it Sodom and Gomorah. She said that other older girls in the school did not mind the passes made at them, and they often complied to the teachers and students for favours in return for sex.

The girls went on to share that the dormitories were accessible to the male teachers and students and this they felt was a risk and they could hardly sleep at night. The same "Pastor" who I thought was so philanthropic did nothing about this and romour had it in the school that he too has "His Girls". The girls also shared that most of the students in the school knew little or nothing about reporting any cases of sexual harassment...they did not even seem to know that what the teachers and students were doing was sexual harassment!

As an organization we wrote to the school about the concerns we had for both our girls and the other girls in the school. We also had a lengthy discussion on the need for the girls to be sensitized on issues around reproductive health. The Pastor of coarse denied that anything of the sort could be going on in his school. The girls further forwarded a letter to the chief of the area to  ensure that the matter and their concerns were recorded with the local administration. Anyway, listening to the news and the "Pastor" took me back to that encounter that we had with them...not so pleasant!

Issues around sexual harassment in schools is not always addressed adequately. This is not the first case of sexual harassment in a secondary let alone primary school. You find that most of the time the girls do not even know that it is a form of Gender based violence and there are laws in our country that can protect them! Most of these stories do not even make the headlines when the cases are reported. I remember last month when there was a case of a girl raped in the maize feild by her neighbour as she was heading to school...How much airtime did it get? It was aired as a 3rd story in the news for about 4 minutes and that was it!

I remember when I was in Form 1 at one of the National Schools in Narobi we had a maths teacher who used to sneak girls out of school and take them "Partying". A lot of girls went out with him and he always wanted fresh girls espescially the new comers. I dont really know what went down when he would take them out but looking back at it now I can guess!! At that time all I used to think was lucky them they get to leave the school premisis....never did I think about what they expereinced and no one dared to ask them or at least I never dared ask. I had another experience when I was in form 3. I had by then moved to another school. Now a private one in Karen..the story was almost similar but this time more direct. Our math teacher would always call the good students into the staff room after hours to give extra work and help where needed. This was good but I remember an incident when I "thought" he brushed the back of his hand on my bottom. I assumed I was just paranoid until he did it a 2nd time. Well I stopped going over to the staff room. But I noticed that he came terribly close when explaining work to me. It was not paranoia, the guy was hitting on me, a 15yr old student!YUCK! Well can you imagine all I did was share is with my frineds and we would make jokes about it. FULLSTOP!!! I can't believe it myself because I should have done something more than just brush him off! What about the younger students and given the opportunity what more could that pervert have done??

That was sexual harassment and at that time I let it slip!!!How many girls today let go of such and more incidents withnin the school? How many are too ashamed or afraid to speak up about such harassment from either their teachers or their fellow students?

As young women and as organizations what can we do to reach out to young girls to speak up about such cases happening within the school setting and also in thier local communities. I also know that this violence does not only happen in the slums but also in middle and upper class set ups and schools. I am just thinking out loud...Who defines sexual violence and does rape have to occur for a young woman or girl to report the incident? Do we have to wait until the deed is done?

What has been put in place by KNUT to protect girls and young women in educational institutions from cases of sexual harassment? I have heard of cases where the teacher is just transfered to another area or province. This will never solve the problem!! The teachers should be dismissed and shamed to ensure they never work again. That is what i think will protect the girls. More needs to be said about this situation within the schools and a lot more needs to be done.

What role do we play in all this?

Food for Thought!