YESTERDAY we reported that a Grade 1 teacher, who was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment for bashing a six-year-old pupil with a blackboard ruler and then escaped jail by paying a fine, has become a divisive figure at St Martin’s Convent Primary School in Harare.
The stuttering pupil, whose name cannot be revealed because the attack was the abuse of a minor, was bashed for failing to answer questions during a lesson.
Audrey Bayana is the teacher who attacked the pupil and she was convicted of using a blackboard ruler to beat the child.
The student sustained injuries to his right eye but has since recovered.
A Mbare Magistrate sentenced Bayana to four months in prison or alternatively a US$200 fine.
She paid the fine and was released.
Her conviction did not trigger a response or any action from the school’s authorities even though it was related to the severe assault of a very young pupil.
This has angered some parents who told H-Metro this gives an impression that such attacks on the kids are allowed at the school even though they are considered unlawful by the State.
That the teacher would have gone to jail, if she had not paid a fine, highlights the seriousness of the offence and why it should have led the school authorities to act, said some of the parents.
We understand the concern among some of the parents.
We are concerned that at the time of the incident Bayana and the headmistress at the school tried to reason with the child’s mother for the parties to resolve the case without involving authorities like the police.
This is tantamount to trying to sweep the case under the carpet.
This would have been a wrong move because it would have sent an impression to Bayana that what she did was not wrong.
Nothing would have stopped her from bashing another child the following week or the following month because she would have known that her back was covered.
Crucially it would have sent shivers among the Grade One pupils in her class who would have started feeling that no one will protect them in the event that their teacher bashes them.
Grade One kids need delicate care and they need to be loved instead of being bashed for failing to answer a question or for stuttering.
This is a delicate phase in their education and we don’t want teachers to send the wrong message that these kids are walking into hell and they should be afraid of coming to school.
If they are abused at Grade One level, they will have permanent scars which will haunt them for the rest of their time at school.
We feel that the school headmistress should have handled this case better than she did.
We understand she probably wanted to protect her colleague but she should have done it in a better way which would also ensure that the concerns of the parents were also taken into account.