Dodoma — THE government is investigating reports that a school in Kilimanjaro Region is teaching students homosexual acts.
The Minister of Education, Science and Technology Prof Adolf Mkenda told reporters here on Tuesday that he had instructed the Commissioner of Education, the Director of Quality Control and a lawyer from the Ministry to go to the reported school to make follow up to and establish facts surrounding the matter.
"The government is very shocked by the report and we're ready to take appropriate measures," said Prof Mkenda.
"The government is paying much attention on controlling teachings which are not ascribed in our curriculum because they can tarnish the entire education system, the country as well as destroy our youth," he added.
Prof Mkenda also said they had spoken to the Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner and instructed him to cooperate with the team.
On the other hand, Prof Mkenda said that the government continues to take various measures to ensure that it controls promotion of indecent behavior among students in schools and would soon a telephone number that will be used to receive information from all areas throughout the country on such matters.
"Tomorrow (today), the Permanent Secretary from my ministry will announce a toll-free number, where anyone with information about these matters in any public or private school or in any college in the country will call and avail us with the proper information and then we will investigate and take action," said Prof Mkenda.
He said the government has started to put in place strategies to prevent promotion of indecent behavior in schools, homes and in all parts of the country.
"This is not the issue of one ministry, it is a cross-cutting issue, that's why we recently had a meeting whose chairman was the Minister of State Prime Minister's Office Parliament, Policy and Coordination, Mr George Simbachawene," he said.
The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Dr Dorothy Gwajima and Minister of State, President's Office - Regional Administration and Local government, Ms Angela Kairuki as well as permanent secretaries from these ministries.
Recently, a local daily newspaper reported a school in Kilimanjaro Region was teaching its students homosexual acts.
