As New Academic Year Approaches, Rape At Schools Concerning

With schools set to re-open next week, the safety of learners remains a concern.

Second-quarter crime statistics for the 2024/25 financial year, released in November last year, show that at least 106 rape incidents occurred at educational institutions countrywide.

These include creches, schools and institutions of higher learning. There are now growing calls to vet people employed at these learning centres.

Between July and September last year - at least 77 rape cases in the country happened on school premises.

20-year-old Lerato, not her real name, recalls how she was raped in the schools bathroom in Grade 8, allegedly by a fellow pupil.