I would like to thank the headmaster and the entire school administration of Gahanga Primary School in Kicukiro district for their efforts to find out the information about their pupils who were victims of defilement.

The story about defilement statistics in the school was disturbing but a good gesture of what the school administration can do to protect our children from premature sex.

It is unfortunate that this particular school administration took it upon themselves to find out about children sexual life before their parents or locals leaders could.

The public has always had a mentality that children are defiled from school and most times by their teachers questioned.

This is not to dismiss the fact that some school teachers defile their pupils but the public should also consider other irresponsible members of the public before throwing it all to the teachers.

At least the Gahanga case did not implicate any teacher but adult relatives and neighbours; the least suspected and those who normally come to the innocent children as sympathisers.

I liked the way the survey was conducted; through questionnaires which gave the victims the freedom to tell their sexual life without another person’s interference.

Many parents find problems asking their children about their sexual life yet when it catches up with them (parents), they shift blame to innocent children making it harder for the victims to cope with life after.

I wish to request all schools to pick a leaf from Gahanga and conduct such a survey.

I am sure many children are abused yet do not know how and who to tell their problems.

Parents and guardians are too tough or too busy to spare time for their children, but this should serve as an opener to parents that every child is vulnerable to sexual abuse and caution should be taken.

Parents should take it upon themselves to know their entire life of their children. 

Kacyiru