July brought disturbing revelations when students courageously exposed a teacher’s pattern of sexual grooming, emotional abuse and boundary violations.

This alarming trend increasingly plagues Kenyan schools, yet countless cases remain unreported, concealed by threats, normalised violence and institutional silence that prioritises reputation over children’s safety.

For too long, predatory behaviour in schools has been systematically swept under the rug.

Abusers benefit from institutional silence and misplaced loyalty while young women are deliberately groomed, manipulated, and abused by trusted teachers throughout their teenage years.

One case involved a teacher who perpetrated abuse for 25 years, yet justice remains elusive.

This systemic violence fundamentally violates children’s rights while perpetuating dangerous cycles of abuse.

Schools must protect children without placing the reporting burden on students themselves.

Clear boundaries between teachers and students must be firmly established, and inappropriate physical contact should never be normalised.

Sexual predators systematically exploit children through grooming, a calculated process where adults emotionally manipulate children into sexual participation.

These perpetrators deliberately position themselves close to children, engaging in seemingly innocent behaviours like excessive hugging and inappropriate touching while gradually pushing personal boundaries.

In schools, predatory behaviour involves teachers exploiting their authority to manipulate, groom, or abuse students.

They strategically build trust through special attention, gifts, or privileges before escalating to serious violations.

The TSC must mandate that all schools implement effective reporting systems, including school psychologists, anonymous whistleblowing mechanisms, comprehensive safeguarding policies, and clear misconduct investigation procedures.

Every school needs a designated safeguarding officer providing independent oversight and coordinating with police, the Department of Children’s Services, and TSC when abuse cases arise.

Safeguarding policies must be accessible to all students, who should receive comprehensive training about reporting procedures.

This enables students to understand safeguarding issues and confidently report boundary violations. When schools fail to act, students can escalate matters to boards or the TSC.

The reporting process must prioritise child safety over institutional reputation. Schools should maintain zero tolerance for silencing victims or protecting perpetrators through transparency and accountability.

Comprehensive training on professional boundaries, supervision of teacher-student interactions in isolated settings, and regular audits of extracurricular activities where boundaries blur are essential.

When allegations arise, accused teachers should be immediately suspended pending investigation while support services are provided to affected students.

We cannot continue handling abuse cases internally, transferring problematic teachers instead of terminating them, or failing to punish deviant behaviour

The TSC must strengthen oversight mechanisms and ensure swift action against predatory teachers.

The Ministry of Education should mandate comprehensive safeguarding training for all educators and implement regular school safety audits.

Schools must create transparent cultures where students feel safe reporting abuse, knowing they will be believed and protected.

Every child in Kenyan classrooms deserves to learn without fear of exploitation and sexual violence. All affected students should receive trauma-informed counselling.

The time for institutional silence has ended. Our children deserve better protection, and we must deliver it decisively.

The writers are Psychologists