Higher Education Minister Dr Brian Mushimba says his Ministry has noted a growing number of reported cases of sexual harassment in institutions of higher learning against female students by Lectures.
Dr Mushimba’a comments follows a month long investigation by the BBC cases of sexual harassment of female students in Nigeria and Ghana in what has become to be known as #SexForGrades scandal.
In a statement, Dr Mushimba said the Ministry has in the recent past, noted with grave concern, the growing number of reported cases of sexual harassment in institutions of Higher Learning against female students by those entrusted with the responsibility of protecting and nurturing them.
“As a Ministry, we wish to encourage these students not to feel constrained to report cases of sexual harassment immediately, as a matter of urgency. It is only through such reports that immediate interventions and actions can be taken and victims protected and perpetrators severely punished,” Dr Mushimba said.
Dr Mushimba said the Ministry of Higher Education condemns, in the strongest terms, this harassment of students in universities and colleges.
He has since directed that all forms of harassment must cease as the Ministry and Government has zero tolerance to such vices.
Dr Mushimba has further warned that those identified as perpetrators of these vices will be brought to book under the full extent of the law.
He further stated that harassment of any form, especially sexual, has no place in institutions of Higher learning as these institutions are the epoch of human development and that is why these vices will be dealt with severely under a new enhanced surveillance program against these vices in universities.
The Minister has assured the victims of the Ministry’s total support and the creation of a safe environment through which to report sexual harassment.
According to the Zambian laws, Criminal Sanctions are provided under the Penal code and a person convicted of Sexual harassment is liable to imprisonment for a term not less than 3 years.
Dr Mushimba has directed all heads of institutions not to protect perpetrators of sexual harassment as doing so is a serious offence and in the same vain urged protection of the victims at all costs.
I hope ladies in Zambia can come out and mention lecturers that take advantage of female students.
I remember when I was at UNZA one lecturer from Development Studies used to sleep with female students and give them good grades.
Iyo mwa ambe yo, bengi balakapilamo ka, naku State House “Mee too” Yalasangwa, better to keep quiet some of these things!! Naiwewine Brian “me too” yalakwikata pa last!! Never throw stones in a glass house bane!! Tondolo musuma, ukwali nsoke, takwafwile bantu!!
Mr. Mushimba.
What about those people that buy degrees ? And lie that they have completed a Doctorate degree?
This has been going on in Zambian Universities for a very long time. Stewart Hearst from UNZA was one of the worst with male students. And almost all of the lecturers from all Zambian universities sleep with their students.
It’s like in PF, sexx for MP adoption.
Stop being dozy copy cats. Just because this was uncovered in west Africa and reported on BBC you also want to be seen to be doing something. What has your ministry being doing all along.. useless reactionary government. Reminds me of my zambian ex girlfriend many moons ago who always waited to be told what to do without thinking ahead and being proactive. ************
what is the process for reporting such, how confidential is the information once a “whistleblower” comes forward?
these guys just talk without saying anything. a responsible and competent person would say
Here’s the hotline or WhatsApp # or whatever where those who feel they’ve been harassed can report
…”report cases of sexual harassment to whom/where?
you know the cops will make fun of the victim.
I am very sure there has been complaints by the students’ but because of that piece by bbc in Ghana and Nigeria that’s why he’s reacting when all along he’s received complaints that this’ happening and has done nothing. so now he wants to be seen as doing something about it
and this’ isn’t just in schools. it’s happening everywhere. sexual harassment isn’t confined to…
….and this’ isn’t just in schools. it’s happening everywhere. sexual harassment isn’t confined to schools alone, it’s in work many places… where those on top only work/act/hire after they receive sexual favors. sexual harassment laws are there only on paper. and there are a few on the other side of the table who suggestively offer themselves so as to get a promotion or get hired.
it’s a serious issue that needs to be addressed properly and proactively not by a knee jerk reaction
How many will report this after graduating with ‘flying’colors!! Only when they flunk.
With the PF and Lungu institutionalizing shady deals & corruption did we expect Zambian students not to catch the vice? I take no joy in this deep rot i weep for Zambia.
Sex for jobs for political cadres. Needs to be probed, too.
Sex for higher grades or leaked questions was rampant as far back as the early 90s in the law school at unza. Some female students succumbed to this Vice and “passed” the results showed in the practice. With jobs scarce sex for jobs or indeed for favors is on the rise. So let us go back in history and punish those perpetrators so that the slate is wiped clean talk is cheap.
Pleas also investigate ZRMU the lecturers and tutors are busy sleeping with students and make them pass examinations without studying
COPY AND PASTE, THAT’S WHAT THEY ARE MADE OF.
With this kind of behavior in higher learning institutions, there is no way we can make progress as a people. Its not a degree full of sex that will make a difference for Africa. We need to be focust and determined that we can make it in life without having to have a false qualification of sex.Human kind we are truly still complicating ourselves reducing serious matters to something between the legs.Shame!!!
“As a Ministry, we wish to encourage these students not to feel constrained to report cases of sexual harassment immediately, as a matter of urgency” Well put but report where?
Is there a hotline? Whistle blower kind of thing? WhatsApp line? That’s what is required Hon Minister. At least with that you can catch maybe 20-30% which is good enough. What you can’t capture however are cases where female students flirt with lectures for grades #flirtingforgrades, that’s harder. It’s like the traffic police officer being bribed by an erring motorist. This kind of corruption is initiated by the perpetrator…it is harder but if we can atleast expose a few who literally go for students then it’s a win no matter the margins.
Sexual harassment is still happening in military establishments especially in Zambia army, Airforce and ZNS,police force…etc.
Commanders are most culprits.
How many times should the victim suffer, the way things work in this Country even the officer who will be handling the case will demand ukuswamo.
It’s very difficult for people to come foward and report unless its done in camera. Some victims are married and that can wreck homes and if unmarried dimishes their chances of getting married.
But if the act has not taken place its eaasier to report a mere harassment. The scourge has contributed to lowering standards in the industries because students are coming out of university unprepared to solve the challenges of our times.
Ifikopo and all those who’ve benefitted from the vice can only snarl and frown at the minister’s as an effort in futility . And where the beneficiaries are in the majority you know who the winner is. It takes two to tangle
Even medical officers, they propose love to patients against their code of ethics.
It will work in West Africa, not Zambia. When 48 women accuse one influential guy of harassing them the ACC will hide under desks and behind dustbins. Muza ona. Don’t say I didn’t tell you…
There is one offering & the one accepting the offer, who do you punish?
Look closely at Zambia Institute For Tourism and Hospitality Studies/Fairview Hotel. I hear there is a he goat there that takes advantage of the girl child and he seems to take pleasure in punishing male students by under marking them. Why should parents be paying double, tution fees and their daughters being abused for the sake of good grades?
Regardless of what has been happening THE MINISTER he is just calling for people to STAND with him that’s ALL. Then why condemning him ?
But the TRUTH is those who are VICTIMS of such ( those desiring employment or good grades then offer themselves to get what they want ofcourse they cannot report BECAUSE its there choice) but you who is outside its YOUR duty that we better OUR tommorow ESPECIALLY KNOWING that our childrens they will ONE day be found in such environments, so let’s do what we CAN to prevent SUCH. Actually if you are ONE of them , i PRAY for the mercies of God upon YOUR life and God’s grace that you might receive repentance to LIFE.
Lets do WHAT we CAN to better OUR childrens ENVIRONMENT.
Shalom Shalom.
In most cases girls are complicit to this widespread malpractice. In some cases girls lobby for the same and only when some of their boy friends get frustrated, that is when word spread. Nowadays a man is being treated as an animal even when its the woman themselves who propose. Just because a man has no defense in such cases does not mean we should not focus on controlling our girls. Lecturers don’t follows students to their rooms but girls track down the poor souls not just to their offices but in some cases even to their drinking places. Yes Lecturers should live above board and remain professional and should punished once they err but scourge will not go away if the source of the problem is not addressed. A man is just human after all. Remember, a woman defeated the following strong…
So Ba Kennedy, you are one of those who take advantage of ama students ka. Truth be told there are students who are very bright but they have been disadvantaged because they refuse to sleep with their lecturers and as a result these students get marked poorly by the pepetrators. I for one I can never and will never elo if someone attempts ifya bupuba I will make sure that chi ka sebana, I will embrace the shameless he goat such that it will never get employed in Zambia or whichever country am in.
They are the ones who go and tempt the lectures