NGOCC Executive Director Anne Anamela has called for an amendment to the Education Act to prohibit teachers from having sexual relationships with learners.
And Anamela says NGOCC is proposing the addition of 26 seats for youths, 24 for women and 10 for persons with disabilities in the National Assembly, in order to bring the total number of MPs to 227.
Meanwhile, President Hakainde Hichilema, in agreeing with Anamela, added that workplace relationships should also be prohibited.
Speaking when President Hichilema met the Women’s Movement at State House, Thursday, Anamela said there could never be a consensual relationship between a teacher and a learner.
“There is currently no legal provision which deals specifically with school-related GBV. What we want to see is an amendment to the education Act and we have provided a number of proposals here but one that I would like to draw your attention to is also to prohibit teachers, one that specifically prohibits teachers from having sexual relationships with learners. The National Prosecution Authority has been having challenges especially with those who are above 16 years as it is not deemed as defilement but possible rape under the penal code. There should be extra provision prohibiting such relationships, there can never be a consensual relationship between a teacher and a learner because of the [ignorance] and unequal correlations,” she said.
Further, Anamela said NGOCC was proposing the addition of 26 seats for youths, 24 for women and 10 for persons with disabilities in the National Assembly.
“We get back to the Constitutional Amendment Act No. 2 of 2016 and the focus is on 47 (1). This act refers to the elections of the president as under a majoritarian electoral system as well as the election of members of the National Assembly which are conducted under the First Past the Post [system], as is the case even with elections at local government level. What we see here is that this article should not contain two electoral systems in one, and we propose that an amendment be made to ensure that the two are not in one article. And the amendment that we propose is to provide for a separate article for also a mix member proportional system and this is our proposal around that. Why we want to propose the mixed member proportional system is that historically we still don’t have that representation of women, youth and persons with disability at all levels, especially elected positions, it’s still very low,” said Anamela.
“And that the First Past the Post electoral system does not create a level playing field to marginalised groups such as these that I have mentioned to participate as candidates and gain access to these positions. We propose an addition of 26 seats for youths, that’s two seats from each province and extra six from each constituency with larger populations and these are to be voted from political party lists. We also propose an additional 24 seats for women, that’s two from each province and an extra four from constituency with larger populations and these are to be voted from political party lists, and our third proposal is addition of 10 seats for persons with disability, that’s one from each province to be voted from political party list. This will add 60 more seats to current 167, [to] bring the number to 227”.
Addressing the first issue, President Hichilema said the amendment should apply to both genders, as female teachers also engage in sexual relationships with learners.
“I totally agree with you, same with workplaces, I can’t have a managing director having a relationship with a young professional who has just joined the firm. There is compromise there. But the point I want to make is that it must be dual sexual because it is not only men that do those issues, we know female teachers do those issues with pupils as well. I just wanted to make sure that we are on the same wavelength with this one. It is a very strong point. I agree with it,” said President Hichilema.
