By Tadiwa Madava
The Archdiocese of Harare Education Secretariat has expanded its efforts to promote a
safe and secure environment for learners in Catholic schools through launching a
Safeguarding Policy.
Stakeholders from the four provinces of the Archdiocese of Harare converged at Jubilee
Hall in Harare to participate in the unpacking and inauguration of the child safeguarding
policy.
It started with a Eucharist celebration in which His Grace Archbishop Robert Ndlovu
presided.
He said the policy aimed at creating a conducive learning environment in which children
and vulnerable adults are protected from all forms of abuse including but not limited to
emotional, physical, spiritual, and sexual harm among others.
His Grace said the manual will act as a key to assist all concerned parties to promote
peace and spreading the gospel and sanctity of human life as guided by the gospel values.
“These guidelines must be utilized in as much as the gospel teachings about the good
shepherd, guards and protect his flock, so too are we called to follow Christ’s steps in
loving, caring for the vulnerable among us, and protecting the children who have been
entrusted to us,” said the Archbishop.
He said this policy is also a response to the plea by Pope Francis’ message of
acknowledging shortcomings in how much the church has dealt with issues of child abuse
in addressing the situation.
He called for zero tolerance for abuse.
The Archbishop called upon all the authorities and individuals to answer to this call by
embracing and committing to unreserved implementation of the safeguarding policy and
operating procedures.
He said the Archdiocese of Harare is cognizant of international conventions, national
laws, and statutes such as the SDGs, the African Union agenda, and the Zimbabwean
constitution which exalt the Church to play part to eliminate sexual abuse, exploitation,
trafficking, and all forms of violence and torture against children.
He said the Church will not hesitate to cooperate with law enforcement agents to bring
perpetrators to account.
He also hoped that the Safeguarding Training becomes a core module regardless of
program specifications for students within tertiary institutions.
The government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education
applauded the Church’s efforts in the development of education citing that the policy will
create a conducive learning environment for learners.
Speaking at the launch, the ministry representative Mr Katuka appreciated the move by
the Church in taking the lead in safeguarding learners in various forms of abuse.
He said the launch will reduce all instances of child abuse and urged the church to partner
with the government in making the policy a success.
“We need to put our hands together as partners to fight abuse and form a conducive
learning environment,” he said.
The ministry called upon the commissioners of the policy to unpack the child
safeguarding policy to other dioceses, not to schools in the Archdiocese only as other
schools also have victim cases of various forms of abuse.
The National Education and Safeguarding Coordinator Doctor Sister Theresa Nyadombo,
said they are working tirelessly to make sure that the policy becomes a formation where
the parents, students, teachers, and all stakeholders have the knowledge to protect
children and vulnerable adults.
She said they have manuals for parents; Positive parenting and a Transformative manual
for learners and teachers which guides them during classes and at home.
“Parents under positive parenting learn how to discipline children safely without
violence…learners get empowered to speak out, report and identify cases of abuse in all
forms,” said Sr Nyadombo.
She also said some teachers have already started online lessons with Arrupe Jesuit
University and will get Diplomas and hopes that the Ministry of High and Tertiary
Education approves their programs to have a degree.
“We have secured what we are supposed to secure to make that dream come true,” she
added.
Children from various schools applauded the Safeguarding committee through various
performances.
They said the policy is a blessing to them as it gives them motivation and confidence to
attend classes without fear knowing that their rights are taken care of as the learning
environment has been made more friendly to them.
“I salute His Grace the Archbishop and education secretariat for initiating this noble and
important program that has transformed our lives at our schools,” said a student poet from
Marian Primary School.
The commissioners of the policy, Theresa Sanyatwe and Musekiwa Makwanya said the policy
is there to make sure children are kept away from actions that place their health
development and promote their wellbeing.
They called for more action in order to make the policy a success.
“We cannot be safeguarding if we are not preventing and we cannot be protecting if we
are not responding, it is not enough to know, it is not enough to have knowledge, act,”
said Makwanya.
Also in attendance were District Schools Inspectors, Provincial Education Directors, and
representatives from various schools in the Archdiocese of Harare.
Manuals were given to all institutions as a sign of the beginning of a new era for the
safeguarding of learners.
The commission that made the policy to be a success comprised of professionals in
different fields such as psychologists, medical doctors, social workers, and child
safeguarding experts.
The document will be used by all institutions and aims at protecting the rights of children
and vulnerable adults.
English