The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has issued a stern warning to teachers, emphasizing that demanding cash from parents for extra lessons and abusing learners is illegal.
During the 16th edition of the Commissioner General of Police’s Schools Merit Awards in Harare, ZRP Deputy Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba asserted that they will not tolerate such behaviour in schools. He said:
Our success stories are being blemished by the actions of some bad elements among us.
I am informed that some staff members are putting pressure on parents from whom they are demanding extra and unnecessary charges for extra lessons.
From the onset, let me remind you all that the responsible ministry outrightly gave a position that it is illegal.
Some of you choose to take a lackadaisical approach to work or even fail to work during normal school time, only to wait for the ‘Remedial time’. That should stop forthwith.
Those who feel uncomfortable working in the classroom environment are free to come out in the open and the organisation will redeploy them elsewhere.
On another regrettable note, I was briefed on a recent shameful criminal incident which paints a very dark image of our schools.
Abuse of any nature on school children by teachers is a serious affront to the trust reposed in you as teachers.
I do not want to picture that there are some among you in the same ensnare. School staff, you are in loco parentis, entrusted with children by parents.
How dare you ponder wickedness towards children left in your custody? In any case, those children are your very own children whom you are expected to be protecting and nurturing.
Be warned. As the law enforcement agency, we will never stand aside and allow that to happen in schools, more so, our police schools. The safe and only place for violators of children’s rights is behind bars.
Deputy Commissioner-General Mutamba announced plans to expand the network of ZRP schools nationwide, specifically to provide quality education for police officers’ children.
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