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Tafadzwa Ndlovu Herald Reporter
Academic institutions should strengthen child protection systems by including issues of sexual abuse and violence in the curriculum, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Minister Oppah Muchinguri said the high number of cases of sexual abuse and violence being recorded would be reduced if children were conscientised on the issues.

She was speaking in Harare at the weekend during the launch of the Legacy International School, a Christian private school.
“My ministry has just launched a campaign against sexual abuse and rape of children and 16 days of activism against gender based violence, hence we also say no to such acts in the education system,” she said.

“I urge all academic institutions, stakeholders, Government and civil society to work together in strengthening child protection systems because violence and sexual abuse of children will only result in mental, physical and psychological effects on our children.”

Cde Muchinguri said teachers and school heads should not take advantage of the vulnerability of children, but assume parental roles of protecting them.

She said there was need to continuously address challenges faced by children at national and local levels, including implementation of laws, policies, regulations and the provision of comprehensive services to child victims.

Legacy International School has been in existence for the past 10 years, but officials could not acquire proper land to build the school.
The school’s managing director Pastor Petunia Chiriseri recently acquired more than four acres of land in Greystone Park for the construction of the school after 10 years of persistence.