Form 3 Book That Blames Rape Victims, KICD Apologizes And Issues Advisory
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development has apologized for sentences in the Certificate Biology Form 3 book that appear to shift blame onto rape victims.
The sentences appear on page 170 of the book, under the subtopic “AIDS Prevention.”
The author implies that indecent clothing can lead to rape and advises students, particularly girls, to dress modestly to avoid attracting rapists’ attention.
The text reads: “Modest dress code and behaviour to avoid provoking or tempting other persons into sexual arousal. Many rape cases are due to such provocations. One should also avoid being alone with a person of the opposite sex in secluded areas to prevent losing one’s control.”
It adds: “Date rapes are even more common than rape by total strangers. Girls should be especially watchful in not having their drinks mixed with drugs or alcohol which cause them to lose control of their senses.”
The text sparked outrage online, and KICD admitted that some Kenyans contacted them directly, demanding a public apology and a thorough review of all educational materials.
Prof Charles Ong’ondo, Director and CEO of KICD, said in a statement that the emails, in particular, expressed concern over the two sentences on the effectiveness of preventing rape.
He stated that Kenyans are concerned that the narrative is not only misleading but also dangerous, perpetuating victim-blaming and reinforcing rape culture.
“The Institute acknowledges that indeed the sentences above could be interpreted to suggest that indecent dressing is the main cause of rape and may also insinuate “victim blaming” in case of rape,” Prof Ong’ondo said.
“Therefore, KICD offers an apology to readers who consider the quoted sentences in the book Certificate Biology for Form Three to be misleading, for not detecting this during the evaluation in 2005.”
KICD stated that the book was published by East African Educational Publishers (EAEP) in 2004, evaluated/approved by KICD (KIE at the time), and listed in the Orange Book in 2005.
It stated that a new edition of the book was printed and distributed to schools in 2018.
The agency accepted responsibility for the oversight, despite stating that the process of evaluating and approving books is rigorous to ensure that any material consumed by students is as error-free as possible.
It stated that approval criteria include relevance to the curriculum, content accuracy, language use, appropriateness for learners at various levels, adherence to national values, and inclusivity in terms of gender, ethnicity, and religion, among other standards.
Prof Ong’ondo stated that the evaluation process entails assembling panels of educators (mostly teachers) from the levels for which the materials are intended.
He stated that the material is then passed on to a team of verifiers (typically KICD and Ministry of Education officers) who review the initial evaluation and recommend (or not) the material for approval by the KICD Council.
Whether a book is approved or not, Ong’ondo stated that the publisher is expected to make corrections based on the evaluators’ and verifiers’ reports.
“The corrections are then checked by KICD officers before the book is stamped ‘Approved’ by KICD and cleared to be used in schools,” he explained.
Despite this stringent screening, it is clear that the offending sentences escaped the attention of the panel of professionals, which KICD stated was typically between five and fifteen in number.
Prof Ong’ondo, on the other hand, stated unequivocally that there was no intention to justify rape under any circumstances, despite the fact that modest and decent dress is encouraged among students and the general public, particularly in the school setting.
“As a way forward, KICD has constituted a panel as stipulated in the Institute’s Materials Evaluation Criteria, comprising of curriculum development officers, quality assurance and standards officers, teachers and other relevant stakeholders to review the content of the book within two weeks,” the agency boss said.
“KICD shall issue an advisory to the publisher on what revisions to make to avoid any potential misinterpretations by the learners. The schools will also be informed after the review on how to guide the learners on the relevant topic,” he added.
Prof. Ong’ondo appreciates the public’s feedback and assures that all legitimate concerns will be addressed promptly.
Form 3 Book That Blames Rape Victims, KICD Apologizes And Issues Advisory
