Gokwe Parents Have Mixed Reactions on Social Media Trending Pupils 

The parents from Gokwe who participated on My Gokwe Media survey on the school pupils’ videos and photos trending on social media since the opening of the schools expressed varying feelings, views and reactions.

This comes some six months after the closure of schools in Zimbabwe as a response and means of lockdown to contain the pandemic of COVID-19, schools have been opened.

In September the government announced the official first phase opening of schools. This included the grade 7, form 4 and form 6 scheduled as Cambridge Candidates on the 14th and ZIMSEC Candidate on the 28th.

Consequently, all the teachers’ unions declared an incapacitation by the teachers leading to the aborted opening on the ground. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Ambassador Cain Matema alleges that 29 per cent of teachers heeded to the opening of schools, something, that was dismissed by the teachers’ unions.

There have been reports and official complains by Chief Chireya, Nyelele and Nemangwe about COVID-19 induced school child pregnancies and marriages. However, following the opening of the schools evidence on the social media reveals that pupils have gone wild.

This include sexual explicit nudes in form of videos and photos characterised by dance, kissing, romance, touching and hugging among other extremes all turning schools into brothels and movie theater. The move is likely drug induced and there is a video circulating of two girls pausing for the camera as one of them takes a marijuana cigerate.

Speaking to My Gokwe Media, Mrs Hlatshwayo who is a mother to a form 4 pupil said as a woman she is not shocked by what is trending on social media about the pupils. She justified it as normal since, “Those kids are going through puberty, no one can raise a hand openly declare that s/he never did the related during the puberty stage,” she said.

However, she castigated the smartphone as the only change that have affected today’s youth.

“What have come wrong is the filming and sharing of these activities, but normally kids kiss, fool around, dance and touch at the high, we did it during our time,” she said.

Mr Dube who claimed to be a parent called for the education of pupils on the impact and effect of social media. He also called for the laws to sue those who film and share such material on social media.

“The filming and sharing of this material have become a greatest problem worth criminalization. Look now the consequences are dire than the practice itself in the first place. Kids have got to be knowledgeable that they can’t just record and send stuff willy nilly without facing some legal consequences,” he said.

There is a crop of parents who believed that those who are justifying these activities have no kids and have nothing to lose than to benefit. Some are the wolves who are identifying these kids and wait to take them for advantage.

“I know there are some of us who are already on the sweet-sixteen picking mission. They don’t have kids in schools and they expect to see more so that they widen their hooking ground. There is no single parent who can justify such practices,” said one of the parents.

Some were very sympathetic to the parents whose kids are the main players on social media.

“My sympathy, empathy and compassion is with the mothers whose daughters have gone wild on social media. It’s very painful, being a mother and seeing your daughter in nudity and trending on social media. I know some are already on intensive care either at home or in hospitals,” said the Zionist Mrs Dliwayo.

She further called for all Christian women to unite in prayer and come together for a prayer in solidarity with the victimised women.

“As the Christian Women’s League we need to organise a church service and pray for the victims. As a Christian community we don’t condone such a behaviour. Such behaviour is punishable as happened at Sodom and Gomora,” she said.

 She further accused the school authorities for not taking scripture union and bible study serious. Pupils are now exposed more to the Zim Dance Hall than to the Christian values.

However, there are some who called for a radical action against the behaviour. They advocated for a broadcasted disciplinary action to teach the world.

“Disciplinary action is necessary. Admittedly we cannot treat how they are behaving as if it is new. These vedios are a clear evidence and it’s an oppotune time to utilise them. We may have failed the nation if we don’t act now and accordingly,” said Mr Mlambo.

He further argued that almost everyone passed through this stage but discipline served its purpose. Failure the elders to take some disciplinary action or shaming is in one way or the other, encouragement to continue doing wrong things.

However, some questioned the parenting system that produced such behaviours. They argued that most parents know how their kids behave but tend to ignore. They condemned the parents for sending their children to school where they know there are no teachers. “What are they expecting their children to do,” questioned one of them.

Some accused the government for failure and destruction of the education system. They called for the government to restore order by paying the teachers descent salaries or close the schools until order is restored.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tamblr @mygokwe