eMBALENHLE – As the country faces gender-based violence, child abuse and killings, some men like Mr. Mphile Thwala (30), still believe that men should be trained how to take care of children and to know more about kids.
Mr Thwala is a teacher at one of the pre-school at eMbalenhle. He said he chose this career because men are scared of it.
“It feels that is dominated by women, especially in our townships such as eMbalenhle.”
Mr Thwala said though the country is facing serious crimes against women and children and men are being distrusted, the parents of the kids in his class still believe in him to look after their children.
“It is unusual for a man to be a pre-school teacher. You face different children with different attitudes for which many men have no patience.
“Since my own school days I wanted to be a teacher at any school, but not a pre-school. I thought it was a woman thing, but look where I am today,” said Mr Thwala.
“Although my peers always laugh at me and tell me to go and change nappies, I do not mind. It is like praise to me, because I do that everyday and I do not mind to clean up the little ones.”
He became a pre-school teacher after completing matric.
Mr Thwala is concerned about the many incidents where men raped or killed children at eMbalenhle, but this doesn’t discourage him from working with the toddlers. In fact, he believes that it has made him more attend and cautious when doing his job.
“Gender-based violence and child abuse happens when men do not make time to know about their children because they are always drinking in taverns. The problems begin when they return home,” said Mr Thwala.
He interviews the children every Monday morning to check if their weekend was good or bad.
“Surprisingly, some tell me stories about the attitudes and behaviour of their fathers, uncle and cousins. Some kids are forced to go buy alcohol, cigarettes and sometimes get beaten if they refuse.
“I advise their mothers to report this to the authorities but some are afraid to be victimised by their partners or family members.”
Mr Thwala encouraged men to join him in becoming pre-school teachers so that they will see how precious are children.
“Then maybe they will realise what they are doing and abusing children and their mothers.”
