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Pornography escalating sexual violence in Lira schools, MPs told
Members of parlimant sitting on the Select Committee on the inquiry into allegations of Sexual Violence in schools and institutions of learning listening to teachers of Lira central primary school on November 27, 2018. PHOTO BY PARLIAMENT PRESS TEAM
What you need to know:
- Luuka South MP, Mr Stephen Kisa advised teachers and parents to monitor every content watched by children at school and home respectively during this long holiday
- Parliament last April agreed to constitute a select committee to investigate allegations of sexual harassment in schools and institutions of learning.
- A senior woman teacher at the school informed the committee that exposure to pornographic materials greatly affects students because they lose concentration in class and hence deterioration in performance.
Members of Parliament on the Select Committee investigating allegations of sexual violence in schools and institutions of learning have learnt that access and exposure to pornographic materials to student and adults in Lira District has escalated the levels of sexual harassment and violence amongst girls and boys in school.
The committee which was meeting the school leadership of Lira central primary school was on Tuesday told that many students and adults in the community are exposed to many visual and print pornography which has made them more sexually alert and hence leading many of them in acts defilement and sexual relations.
Mr Pamela Amongi, a senior woman teacher at the school informed the committee that exposure to pornographic materials greatly affects students because they lose concentration in class and hence deterioration in performance.
“I have interacted with two students whose performance was deteriorating but I was shocked when they confessed that they had been watching pornographic movies and they feel so addicted to the movies which was affecting their concentration in class,” she said.
She further blamed the laxity of parents who have either brought home pornographic movies or failed to monitor what their children watch.
"I have witnessed a mother watching pornography with her daughters and when I intervened, their mother simply asked me to mind my business because we are living in the modern world,” she said.
However, Mr Tony Owiny, a male teacher on the same school blamed the rise of sexual violence and harassment to the high levels of poverty amongst the bigger population of the locals in Lira district. He further explained that poverty has forced many girls to seek material necessities from men who ask for sexual favors in return.
“I have witnessed a primary five female student who started her menstruation periods and couldn’t be supported by her single poor mother, she resorted to asking for such necessities from men who ended up sexually abusing her,” he said.
However during the course of discussion, it was pointed out that many sexual related offences do not happen in school but in the outside community. Men who are involved with these girls are mostly the Bodaboda riders who offer girls free lifts to and from school.
Kioga County MP, Anthony Okello pointed out that matters related to sexual harassment in institutions of learning should not be held lightly by the authorities in the district.
He called on the school management to consider checking all donor donated books because many of them have elements of pornography and promotion of homosexual practices.
“Schools should pay keen attention when receiving free books from donors. These books have been seen to carry teaching of sexually habits mostly homosexuality and lesbianism,” he said.
Luuka South MP, Mr Stephen Kisa advised teachers and parents to monitor every content watched by children at school and home respectively during this long holiday. He further asked parents to participate in watching educative programmes and productive activities to engage the kids at home as they go for work. He says this would keep the children busy rather than wasting time on television and internet.
“Parents should stop leaving their mobile phones with children because this is a serious danger. A child should not access a parent’s phone and a parent should not buy a phone for a young child. This will help check and protect kids from accessing uncalled for information on mobile phones and internet,” he said.
Parliament last April agreed to constitute a select committee to investigate allegations of sexual harassment in schools and institutions of learning. The decision came after a motion by National Female youths MP, Anna Adeke urging Parliament to inquire into the matter. The motion also followed media reports on the vice involving teachers, lecturers and school heads.
