Ugandan teachers become HIV/AIDS vectors

Submitted by Linda Lilian (owamazima) about 9 months ago

HIV/AIDS is an incurable sexually transmitted disease and defilement is an imposed sexual act on a minor. The combination of the two is a disaster mostly culminating from one greater evil, resulting from another evil.

Unfortunately in Uganda today, teachers who are supposed to give security to the children in schools have become the greatest potential threats in the infection of children with HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted disease by defiling them.

Recently in Masindi District, a pupil of Kihande Primary School delivered during her Primary Leaving Examination. She was one among four other pregnant girls the Head Teacher of the School had been sexually exploiting. Meanwhile a number of complaints continue to rise from a number of other school in Uganda.

Mubunga John, a teacher in Bwizi Primary School in Kamwenge District, told of an ordeal where two teachers defiled one girl at the same time during an athletics competition in which the school children had participated.

Baguma Iddi, from Nsunga Primary School, argues that daily interaction and familiarity between students and teacher is a major cause of sexual relations developing. According to Baguma examinations and wanting promotion has made many female children vulnerable to defilement.

Bafirawala Mathias a teacher in Kyenjojo Primary School believes that some girls tempt the teachers. “Teachers are enticed and the weak ones are tempted to touch” he said.

Gerald Kitalibara, a teacher at Bundikahungu Primary School in Bundibugyo, believes girls sit in a enticing postures to distract teachers attention. He said this takes place mostly in upper primary.

A study funded by the World Bank in 2008 indicated about 43,000 girls in P5 to P7, roughly between 10 and 14 years old, had been sexually abused by the very people who are supposed to protect them, that is the teachers.

The reality of high sexual defilement cases in Ugandan schools could be one of the biggest HIV/AIDS challenges Uganda has and will have in the near future. When teachers turn into HIV/AIDS vectors then Uganda’s future is doomed.

Keywords: girl child HIV/AIDS Pupils schools teachers

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