KEETMANSHOOP: The parents of those learners who alleged sexual molestation by fellow learners at the Nowak Primary School hostel, are demanding that the accused individuals be banned from all hostels.

Nine boys from the Tses school’s hostel reported to Nowak Primary School principal Jacobus Swartbooi last month that they were being sexually molested by other boys staying at the hostel.

Nampa spoke to some of the relatives of the victims involved on Monday after they had a meeting with officials from the Karas Regional Directorate of Education at Tses.

According to the aunt of one of the victims, the Education officials are refusing to have the alleged molesters expelled from the hostel, and are opting to instead have them transferred to other schools around the Karas Region.

The families of the victims are, however, demanding that the accused not be admitted to any hostels countrywide as they are afraid that the same thing might happen elsewhere.

“They told us that the boys cannot be banned from the hostels as Government does not allow it, but we think they will do the same thing if they are transferred to other school hostels,” she said.

The mother of another victim stated that she wants the alleged molesters removed from the hostel. The boy’s family is also demanding that the accused boys undergo psychological testing to determine what could have led to their actions, and said the results of these tests could then be used to determine punishment for the accused.

Some parents also suspect that more boys may have been molested, and are perhaps traumatised as the activities are said to have been occurring for “a long time.”

An aunt of one of the victims stated that her nephew has trouble sleeping because he keeps having nightmares.

“We will take him to a school in Otjiwarongo because he is so traumatised. Last night, he woke up shouting ‘leave me alone’,” the woman said.

When approached by Nampa on Monday, Karas Education Director /Awebahe //Hoeseb said he cannot comment on the issue.

He nonetheless confirmed that officials from his office went to Tses to hold a meeting on the molestation accusations today.

“I am still waiting for the report on the meeting so that we can decide on the way forward. I cannot say anything about their demands now,” he stated.

Tses is situated 80 kilometres north of Keetmanshoop in the Berseba Constituency.