mbulelo smpofu
Kennedy Mandaza, kennedy@mapesafoundation.org
Zimbabwe subscribes to the Sustainable Development Goals which are a collection of objectives established by the United Nations to which Zimbabwe is a member. These goals seek to address the broad range of global challenges, among which ensuring good health and promoting well-being (SDG 3), obtaining quality education (SDG 4), and achieving gender equality, are key.
As a nation, Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, has considered, among other things, the provision of education critical for leap-frogging its economic growth and development. The significant developments in the education sector have bred numerous other challenges which today hog the limelight. One of these challenges is the safeguarding issue prevalent in Zimbabwean schools and has for many years impacted on children’s safety, well-being, and access to education.
In this article I highlight key safeguarding issues affecting Zimbabwean schools and provide suggestions on how safeguarding practices can be strengthened, drawing from my experience as an educator and administrator in Zimbabwe, the region and abroad.
The concept of safeguarding encompasses the protection of children from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and other forms of harm, by ensuring that children have a safe and supportive environment to grow, learn, and thrive. In Zimbabwe, safeguarding in schools takes on specific significance due to the unique challenges the country has been facing.
While some progress has been made in developing child protection laws and policies, the implementation and enforcement of safeguarding practices are still limited by several systemic and socio-cultural factors.
Among the key safeguarding issues affecting Zimbabwean schools is gender-based violence and sexual abuse. In many rural areas, gender-based violence, including sexual abuse, is a significant issue. Girls in rural schools are often vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation, child marriages, and trafficking. This includes sexual harassment by teachers, older students, and community members, as well as sexual abuse within homes or in the community.
Early pregnancies and child marriages are also significant concerns, which interrupt girls’ education and often expose them to further abuse and neglect. In some rural areas, traditional and religious practices and poverty drive the prevalence of child marriages, where girls are married off at young ages, often by their parents or guardians.
This practice undermines their right to education and exposes them to physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. In addition, adolescent pregnancies also contribute to high dropout rates among girls. Many girls are either forced to leave school or face stigmatisation, making it difficult for them to return to their education after childbirth.
Gender norms in some parts of Zimbabwe contribute to the vulnerability of girls in schools. Harmful traditional and religious practices, such as expectations that girls should prioritise domestic responsibilities over education, further expose them to risks. These practices interrupt girls’ education and often expose them to further abuse and neglect. Sadly, teachers and school staff who are essential in identifying signs of abuse and intervening to protect vulnerable children, lack adequate training to handle the issues.
The ongoing economic challenges have further exacerbated incidences of child labour. This issue is compounded by poverty and lack of social support for families, leading to children working in hazardous conditions instead of attending school or engaging in educational activities. In many rural communities, towns and cities, children are often required to help with agricultural work or household chores, which may interfere with their education. This is a safeguarding issue because child labour essentially is a barrier to attendance, and in some cases, children may be forced to drop out of school entirely to contribute to family income.
While there has been significant strides in building schools, many of the schools, particularly in rural areas, lack proper infrastructure, including safe classrooms, functioning sanitation facilities, safe playing grounds and secure boundaries. These schools pose risks to learners’ physical safety, such as collapsing buildings, unsafe toilets, or dangerous playgrounds. Schools need to ensure that the physical environment is safe and conducive to learning, with a focus on improving infrastructure to prevent accidents.
In rural Zimbabwe, girls face additional challenges related to menstrual hygiene, which can affect their participation in school. Ensuring that there are safe, private, and clean spaces for girls to manage their menstrual health is an essential component of safeguarding. This lack of private and sanitary toilet facilities can lead to absenteeism, particularly during menstruation, as they may not have a safe space to manage their menstrual hygiene.
Another safeguarding issue in Zimbabwe relates to lack of accessible credible mental health and psychological support services. Mental health is a critical but often overlooked aspect of safeguarding in Zimbabwean schools. Children may face trauma, such as witnessing violence, poverty, or the loss of parents due to disease or economic hardship. The absence of mental health support in these areas can lead to children internalising stress and trauma, which may hinder their academic performance and overall development. Furthermore, emotional and psychological neglect can hinder a child’s ability to learn and participate effectively in school, creating long-term challenges for their overall well-being.
Therefore, safeguarding in schools should include efforts to create a nurturing environment that supports the emotional well-being of children by establishing peer support programmes and involving older learners in looking out for younger ones while in schools.
Even though corporal punishment was outlawed in Zimbabwe, bullying and physical punishment in schools remain problematic. Some schools and parents still rely on corporal punishment as a form of discipline, which can be harmful and abusive. Peer bullying, particularly related to students’ academic performance, physical appearance, or social standing, create an unsafe environment for many pupils, leading to low self-esteem, absenteeism, and in some cases, dropping out of school.
While there are laws in Zimbabwe protecting children from abuse, many teachers, especially in rural areas, may not have the necessary training to identify or respond to signs of abuse or neglect. Due to lack of adequate training on safeguarding issues, teachers and school staff fail to notice red flags and may not be able to support or report incidents of abuse appropriately. To further compound the issue, both students and parents may not be fully aware of their rights, the risks children face, or the procedures for reporting abuse. It is therefore imperative that schools and communities engage in awareness campaigns to ensure everyone understands what constitutes abuse and how to respond to it.
There is an urgent need for safeguarding training for teachers and school staff, equipping them with skills to identify at-risk children, intervene effectively, and refer cases to appropriate authorities or social services. Local communities, including parents, village leaders, and local health workers, should be involved in safeguarding to protect children. The strengthening of community involvement in schools can create a network of support around children, thereby promoting safety both inside and outside the classroom.
Strengthening safeguarding practices in schools in Zimbabwe is critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals on good health, education and gender equality. This requires a multifaceted approach that addresses the diverse challenges within the education system. The protection of children from harm, neglect, abuse, and exploitation, ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment should be non-negotiable, to which the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and other relevant ministries and departments, should pay greater attention.
Notwithstanding, it must be appreciated that the Zimbabwean government has made significant efforts to address safeguarding issues through policies such as the Children’s Amendment Act (2023) and Education Amendment Act (2020), which emphasise the protection of children from abuse and their right to education, and aligns the laws with international standards.
However, these policies are not always fully implemented in schools, more-so in rural schools, due to logistical and resource constraints. Thus focus is needed on strengthening the enforcement of child protection laws in schools, increasing the availability of social workers and child protection officers in remote areas, and enhancing collaboration between the education sector and law enforcement to ensure a unified approach to safeguarding children.
Other steps that can be implemented to enhance safeguarding practices include specialised training and capacity building for teachers to equip them with the skills to identify and respond to signs of abuse or neglect. It is now critical for teacher training to include modules on child protection, mental health awareness, and how to create safe learning environments. Additionally, training should cover the legal framework related to child rights and safeguarding.
Furthermore, since safeguarding is an ongoing process, teachers need continuous professional development opportunities to stay updated on the best practices for child protection and safety. In line with international best practices, those entrusted to work with the children should be vetted or screened periodically by either the relevant ministry or teaching profession regulatory authority.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should develop clear standard safeguarding policies and protocols that outline procedures for preventing and responding to abuse. The policies and protocols should include steps for reporting abuse, supporting victims, and working with local authorities. They should also define the roles and responsibilities of teachers, parents, and community leaders in safeguarding children. Schools should establish child protection committees which can help ensure that safeguarding policies are consistently followed. These committees can include teachers, parents, students, and community members, all working together to maintain a safe environment.
Equally critical for safeguarding is the improvement of school infrastructure because, safeguarding goes beyond abuse prevention to include ensuring that the physical infrastructure of schools is safe for children. This includes addressing issues such as broken furniture, unsafe playgrounds, poor sanitation, and inadequate lighting. Schools should ensure that the premises are secure and conducive to learning. Schools should recognise that girls face unique challenges, such as the lack of proper sanitation facilities, which can affect their attendance. Thus providing safe, private, and clean facilities for girls, especially for menstrual hygiene management, is an essential part of safeguarding. Furthermore, continuous supervision of infrastructure should be done by the relevant department, especially now that there are numerous private and unregistered schools mushrooming across the country.
Collaboration and engagement among local authorities, schools and service providers is an integral component in strengthening safeguarding. Such collaboration between schools and local authorities, such as social workers, health professionals, and law enforcement, is essential in identifying and addressing safeguarding issues. Hence schools should establish clear referral pathways for reporting cases of abuse or neglect to the relevant authorities, to ensure a timely and coordinated response. The strengthening of partnerships with child protection agencies (both governmental and non-governmental) which provide expertise in managing complex cases and offer counselling or rehabilitation services to affected children, can help schools access resources and support for at-risk students.
Awareness campaigns for students and parents on children’s rights are crucial for safeguarding. Students should be deliberately informed about what constitutes abuse, how to report it, and whom to approach if they are in danger. Schools can also integrate child protection themes into the curriculum, by offering a safe space for open dialogue. In rural areas where traditional norms may undermine child protection, raising awareness among parents and local communities about safeguarding is also critical. This can be done through community workshops on child rights, the importance of education, and the risks children face, including child labour, early marriage, and sexual abuse.
Tackling gender-based violence is an important aspect of enhancing safeguarding. It is important too to recognise that gender inequality is a significant concern in Zimbabwe, and girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse, early marriages, and exploitation. Schools need to have targeted programs to prevent and address GBV, such as anti-harassment policies, counselling services, and gender sensitisation programmes. This can also involve engaging boys and men in discussions about respecting gender equality and non-violence. The Nhanga/Gota initiative by the First Lady Dr Auxilia Mnangagwa is an essential component of a broader safeguarding approach which schools and communities can ride on to promote the value of education for girls and empower them to resist harmful practices like child marriages.
Psycho-social support has become an important aspect of educational institutions in developed countries for the strengthening of child mental health and well-being. In Zimbabwe, many children, especially in rural areas, face emotional and psychological challenges due to trauma, poverty, or loss of family members. The establishment of dedicated mental health support systems in schools, including counselling services, can help safeguard the well-being of students. In addition teachers should be trained to identify signs of mental health issues and know how to respond or refer children for further assistance.
The issue of safeguarding is not just the responsibility of schools but also of the wider community. Schools can collaborate with local leaders, chiefs, and traditional structures to ensure that safeguarding is part of community life. There should be a deliberate and sustained thrust in creating a culture of vigilance and shared responsibility for protecting children which can lead to more sustainable safeguarding outcomes.
In conclusion, safeguarding in schools in Zimbabwe is an essential but challenging aspect of education. The strengthening of safeguarding in schools in Zimbabwe requires a holistic, collaborative, and context-specific approach. Due to limited resources, a lack of trained personnel, and deeply rooted social norms, children, particularly in rural areas, are often vulnerable to abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The need to improve safeguarding in these schools is critical and demands that teachers are provided with appropriate training, communities are involved in child protection efforts, the physical environment of schools is improved, and socio-cultural challenges such as child marriages and gender inequality are addressed. With these measures in place, schools in Zimbabwe can become safer and more supportive spaces for children to learn and grow. Needless to say that these efforts must be sustained and adaptable to the changing needs of children, especially in rural areas where the challenges are often more pronounced.
λ Kennedy Mapesa Mandaza is an academic with vast experience in the education sector in Zimbabwe, South Africa and the United Kingdom. He holds an MSc. in Measurement, Assessment and Evaluation, BSc Honours in Science Education and BSc in Mathematics and Statistics. He can be contacted on +26377608618 (WhatsApp) or Email: kennedy@mapesafoundation.org
