Dear Editor,
At about 3 pm on the 22nd of February, I was agitated by the sound of blows being rained down on a screaming child over the road from where I work (location provided). I got up quickly from my desk, went outside and shouted to the teacher who was beating the child at a private school. I shouted that she should stop abusing the child. I choose to describe it as abuse, Editor, as the lashes could be heard in my office more than 100 metres away. The screams of the child were more than overbearing; you could hear the pain; feel the hurt. A woman, who I presume was the perpetrator, came to the verandah and challenged me to do something about it.
I called the Child Care and Protection Agency which informed me that it was a matter that they could not deal with, and that I should call the Schools’ Welfare department of the Ministry of Education. The person on the line even asked me to call back for the number, which I did. I called the number provided and got on to the Schools Welfare Office. I spoke to someone who informed me that it’s for Human Services to deal with. I asked for a number which they provided, and upon calling the number I realised it was the same Child Care and Protection Agency that had provided me with their contact information.
Editor, I am saddened, confused and disturbed that the system which should be protecting our children is nothing but a dysfunctional system that does not serve the purpose it was intended for. I say this because there is clearly a disjointedness in the processes. No one wants to take on the responsibility of dealing with the issue, and while this is happening children are hurting; children are crying; children are feeling the end of a cane or whatever comes to the hand of the abuser.
Many days we can see adverts encouraging persons to call in about all forms of abuse, but if this example is how the system deals with matters of this nature, then I can only understand the frustration faced by persons trying to report occurrences. I can see someone trying to report a matter giving up because of the pushing around. It is no wonder that parents often take matters into their own hands.
Child protection should not be taken lightly, and the state and her agencies are obligated to protect those of our citizens who are unable to stand up to the abusers, who are often ones in authority. This is not the first time that the abuse has been perpetrated; it is almost a daily occurrence and it must stop. We cannot allow abusers in the guise of teachers to continually abuse our children. We need to fix this immediately, without delay.
Yours faithfully,
Michael Mc Garrell
Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to Minister
within the Ministry of Education, Ms Nicolette
Henry, for any comment she might wish to make.
