A CASE in which a 17-year-old Bulawayo girl missed her final Ordinary Level examinations after eloping to her boyfriend’s has caught the attention of the Senate.
The girl, Thandiwe Moyo, was found alive in Barham Green where she was staying with a 25-year-old man after she went missing in September.
A social media user recognised her from a photo, which helped the family locate her.
With the help of police officers, they went to the house where the teenager was found.
The man has been arrested and is being held at Donnington Police Station.
He is expected to appear in court soon.
She missed her O-Level exams.
In Senate last week, senator Labbany Munemo asked Primary and Secondary Education deputy minister, Angeline Gata, what the ministry is doing to support the student’s academic recovery after missing her final examinations.
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Gata said the ministry can do little other than offering counselling services.
“If a report has been made to the school, the parents would also make a report. It will go into the hands of justice,” Gata said.
“What we do in Primary and Secondary Education we educate our learners.
“We give information to our learners through our heritage-based curriculum.
“We do have a subject that we have, of guidance and counselling and in that guidance and counselling; they are counselled and given guidance.”
Gata appealed to community members to help teenagers found in Moyo’s case.
“We also appeal to our parents and to the community to help the ministry have a sort of inclusive environment for everybody to help look after our children, starting from our families,” she said.
“When they come to school, we also meet what you have said to them and strengthen what you would also have advised them but we do have guidance and counselling.
“We do have psychological services that we give to our children, especially Thandiwe Moyo.”
She added: “If there are many Thandiwe Moyos who have gone through the same, we do offer psychological services.
“We even offer to change schools for children who are affected like this.
“We promote the continuity of education because education is vital for our children. I thank you.”
