Fury In South Africa After School Children's Drama Exam Included Question On How To Stage The rape Of A Baby

Matric drama pupils, sitting for their final exam on Monday, were asked in a compulsory question to describe the symbolic rape of a baby using a loaf of bread and a broomstick.

The question related to Lara Foot's play Tshepang and asked pupils to describe how they would depict the rape of a child using the props specified.

Parents, teachers and pupils on Tuesday said they were horrified at the question and had complained to the department of education.

They have written to the national department of education asking that all drama pupils be immediately awarded the 15 marks attributed to that section.

A senior department of education official said the issue will be raised at a meeting in Pretoria on Wednesday where the memo for the marking of the paper will be discussed.

"I am going to be making a loud clarion call, at that meeting, for the head of the person responsible for that question to roll," said the official.

With more than 20 years experience as a drama expert, the official said there was nothing creative about the question and that it was "downright insensitive and immoral".

"Schools are the custodians of everything that is right and appropriate in society. This is wrong, vulgar and a perpetuation of social injustice and gender stereotypes," she said.

Pupils interviewed by The Witness said they were too embarrassed to repeat what they had written in answers to the question.

Psychologist Tamryn Sprunt said the question was definitely inappropriate for 17-year-olds.

"What worries me is that we are forcing them to think about the brutality, violence, and viciousness involved in the rape of a baby. If a pupil was psychologically disturbed this could prove to be a catalyst for future behaviour," said Sprunt.

Drama Lecturer Peter Mitchell at University of KwaZulu-Natal said the question isn't about rape rather technique "but still portrays the horror".