A senior staffer at Nkayi High School, Matabeleland North province, has been accused of demeaning female teachers after forcing them to pose naked for a groundsperson to check which of them was menstruating.
The senior member is said to have flown off the handle after finding out that someone had messed up a toilet with what was said to be menstrual blood, sources said.
The embarrassing incident has destroyed morale among teachers at the school, who feel the senior member was treating them like slaves. About 16 female teachers were forced to undergo the demeaning examination.
Breathing fire, the boss is said to have summoned female teachers to the staffroom and demanded a confession from the “culprit”.
Quivering in fear, some teachers are said to have pointed out that learners also use the toilet. A teacher at the school, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal, blew the cover on the incident.
“We were called to the staffroom towards break time. The senior staffer was furious and insulted us with unprintable words, accusing us of messing the female toilet. We were ordered to strip naked so that a staff member who does cleaning at the school could check who was on her period.
“We tried to resist, but they would not take no for an answer. They said only the culprit would refuse a physical inspection. All the female teachers who were at the school were forced to endure the dehumanising inspection. We lined up after removing all the clothes from the lower half of our bodies and spread our legs so that the groundswoman could inspect us,” said the source.
The teachers said they felt their rights had been violated by one of their own, and that they have no protection at the school. To add salt to injury, the source added, a logbook system has since been put in place for anyone visiting the toilet, which now remains locked all the time.
“We removed our panties in the presence of the school cleaner. Some of the teachers are married people, who are close to retirement, but were violated by someone who is in her 40s.
“We were never given the results, which confirms that this act (messing up of the toilet) was probably done by a learner. Our dignity was taken away because, if you are married, you only take off your panties for your partner, not to be inspected under those circumstances.
“We have been forced to use the learners’ toilets because imagine being recorded in terms of the time you enter the toilet and when you come out. This is witchcraft. The environment is no longer conducive for us to perform our duties,” said the source.
Handles of the toilet door were last week vandalised as teachers threatened to take the matter to the district schools inspector, as the school head has remained mute despite the attacks against the female teachers.
Efforts to get a comment from the school administration were unsuccessful. However, a manager who works with an organisation that deals with fighting gender-based violence and abuse against women said the affected teachers must get counselling.
“If this is true, it is sad and distressful that the female teachers had to go through such a harrowing experience, where their dignity has not been respected. The affected teachers must receive emotional support (counselling) as experiencing such an act is traumatic.
“The teachers are encouraged to document the incident and follow the procedure in reporting the matter to the education authorities. The affected teachers may want to consult legal professionals on their rights and options,” she said. — B-Metro
