Miniskirts in Schools

When i was in High school, We used to get uniform skirts sooo long, you had to step on them while walking and sometimes even fall down...Recently, there has been a debate over Honorable Mutula's response regarding wearing of short skirts after a school goes on strike after their head teacher refused them to!! I think Most people in Kenya just don’t like change!!! They like to remain primitive and old fashioned, and for this reason, they are dragging the progress of other people who want to move forward. In my opinion, I think that the skirts should not be too long and not to short. Allow them to be at least in level with the knees...That’s not too bad is it???

I am not saying this because i wish that at my time skirts were shorter, because with or without permission, we wore short skirts but then we would keep hiding from the teacher on duty because if you were caught...it was an immediate suspension, or the skirt would be confiscated.

Anyway, if it is a matter of indecency, ok. I agree sometimes girls can go overboard and over do it and abuse such freedom, but this does not apply to girls only. Any person granted the freedom to do something can sometimes enjoy that freedom too much and abuse it in the long run.

Therefore, i think people should not be quick to harshly rebuke Hon. Mutula. Even though he has yet again retreated on the allegation he made, we are glad he heated the debate for us. I am not advocating for mini skirts in high school, although it would be good if the girls were given a little freedom to show 'some legs'. And i am saying this with the knowledge that some male teachers might give this as an excuse to abuse some girls in school. However, it should be noted that this can not be a major contributory factor to abuse. There are several, and i believe we know a few. It has happened in the past, and is continuing to happen in most schools, What the Ministry of education is doing to stop it is a discussion for another day, but for now let us consider this whole issue at hand.

Post your comments and let us hear what you think about this issue...

Regards

Scrapbook Poem

Making this scrapbook won’t ruin my day
Although its components are mostly ‘bout pain
From child abuse
To rape at age 2,
To sexual harassment to women who do
Not deserve to be treated in such a manner
Why such stories make the paper leads one to wonder
What readers and editors do to change
The rapid amount of women derailed
From their daily activities and lives for that matter
What can be done? We need to help each other!
Although I’m just scrapbooking, I still have these thoughts.
Boy, I’d be heartless if I did not!
Thank God for programs like RCWG
That take and train girls starting in their teens.
We’re inspired to be leaders despite all odds
The sky is the limit! So what else are we taught?
To be emotionally intelligent and to overcome
Any obstacles, like double standards that just must
Be proven egregious through ALL of our actions
There’s no need for waiting ‘cuz we can SO make this happen!
Begin with connecting the dots with glee. 
And please don’t forget the first one starts with ME!
Continue by supporting each other
Sisterhood and solidarity totally works wonders!
You’ll be shocked to find out that these girls you meet today
Could potentially be the ones to save your lives one day
So make sure you stay in touch and communicate with each other
‘Cuz it’d be nice for more than one for US to be empowered!
So don’t take NO for an answer when it comes to taking a stand
Because the world will soon KNOW we’re inferior to NO man!
Wow, scrapbooking is taking so long
But luckily its inspired me to write this poem!
In the midst of all of the negative articles
There are still some women who succeed in letting us
Know that it’s possible to be empowered
Through education, confidence, and constant challenge hurdles.
So with little time to spare yet so many thoughts
I must conclude to continue my scrapbook!

Poem Written and compiled by

Teniola Olopade
Resource Center for Women and Girls
Camp Allumni

About the Resource Center

This is the Resource Center for Women and Girls (RCWG) blog where the Mentoring and Empowerment Camp for Girls is the tool which we seek to achieve personal transformation and empowerment for young African girls so that they are better prepared to participate in the leadership and development of the African continent among other programs.

 

This blog will basically feature articles from the Alumni ( girls and women from the training programs) and will keep you updated on relevant development issues.