Child-molesting teacher quits

A male teacher who was recently found guilty of indecently assaulting a grade 9 pupil in the Oshikoto Region is no longer in the employ of the ministry of education.

Moses Shingo (56), who was employed as a teacher at Otjikoto Secondary School in Tsumeb, tendered his resignation on 17 January, according to education permanent secretary Sanet Steenkamp.

In December, Shingo pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent assault after he had requested that a grade 9 pupil unbutton her shirt, before proceeding to remove the girl's breast from her bra.

He is also accused of fondling her nipple. He apparently wanted to see if the girl was pregnant.

He was fined N$3 000 by Tsumeb Magistrate David Munzo.

It was, however, reported that Shingo, who is the husband of the school principal, was back at the school after the court case and that the case had not been reported to the ministry's regional and head offices.

According to Steenkamp, despite swift action taken against teachers charged with sexual harassment or sexual abuse of learners, the ministry learned with great dismay about Shingo's case.

Steenkamp said the ministry condemned any form of sexual harassment or indecent assault by staff members.

“It is a major transgression, one which infringes on the rights of the learners leaving them violated, vulnerable and traumatised.”

She said it was established that Shingo had applied for early retirement after the case had been reported to the police. While processing the request the ministry learnt about the case of indecent assault.

On 17 January Shingo resigned with immediate effect, citing “personal reasons”.

Steenkamp said the ministry will address the school management's failure to report the case in accordance with the Public Service Act.

Meanwhile, the DTA's secretary for education, Elma Dienda, this week said that sexual relations between teachers and learners was a worrying trend.

“There are already enough obstacles to learning that children should not also have to live under constant fear of sexual harassment and assault by their teachers,” Dienda said.

She said there was a misperception that sexual relationships between learners and teachers were permissible if there was consent.

“It is an open secret that intimate relationships between teachers and learners are commonplace in Namibian schools, especially in rural schools.”

She claimed teachers and school principals were aware of these relationships, but a culture of secrecy had developed and therefore no action was taken against offending teachers.

The DTA called on the Children's Advocate to urgently investigate the incident involving Shingo and the troubling occurrence of sexual relations between learners and teachers.