News / Education
Students forced to be cooks and fishermen for Teachers.
29 Nov 2010 at 13:14hrs | Views
PARENTS with children learning at Skente
Primary School in Tsholotsho are up in arms with teachers who are
allegedly abandoning their official duties for fishing, apparently to
earn extra income.
Parents told Chronicle that the teachers were absconding from their duties to spend time at nearby Gariya Dam, fishing.
"These people are taking our children for a ride. We don't understand a scenario where fishing is more important than the education of our children," said Mr Kenneth Moyo, a parent.
He alleged that the senior staff was involved in this behaviour as well.
"This is not fair because we paid school fees for our children to learn, if the teachers have a passion for fishing they should just let someone fill that vacancy," said Mr Moyo.
He said the school had turned a blind eye on the fishing teachers.
"We tried to engage school authorities on the matter but nothing has taken shape ever since and we have no means to solve this problem.
"We cannot watch these teachers tamper with the future of our children and something needs to be done urgently or some of the parents would be forced to withdraw their children from the school," said Mr Moyo.
Another parent, Mrs Sibonginkosi Ndlovu, expressed fears that if teachers continued to abandon their duties, pupils might fail their examinations.
"For a teacher to go fishing during working hours defeats the very effort to send these kids to school. No one is denying them a chance to fish but we are saying they can always do that after hours or on a weekend," said Mrs Ndlovu.
She said she was planning to transfer her two sons to a nearby school.
"We will continue to push this matter forward because we cannot stand and watch while our children are losing out," said Mrs Ndlovu.
She said parents were angry, as their efforts to meet the school officials were fruitless.
"We hope they desist from this irresponsible behaviour because it is bad for their image and that of the school," said Mrs Ndlovu.
Contacted for comment, a senior official at the school who only identified himself as Mr Sibanda, said teachers only went for fishing after work.
"These allegations are not true and whoever is spreading them has a personal vendetta with some of the staff here," said Mr Sibanda.
He said parents with a problem with the teachers should come forward and discuss with school officials.
"It's hard to act on rumours so whoever has a problem should talk to the school," said Mr Sibanda.
Parents told Chronicle that the teachers were absconding from their duties to spend time at nearby Gariya Dam, fishing.
"These people are taking our children for a ride. We don't understand a scenario where fishing is more important than the education of our children," said Mr Kenneth Moyo, a parent.
He alleged that the senior staff was involved in this behaviour as well.
"This is not fair because we paid school fees for our children to learn, if the teachers have a passion for fishing they should just let someone fill that vacancy," said Mr Moyo.
He said the school had turned a blind eye on the fishing teachers.
"We tried to engage school authorities on the matter but nothing has taken shape ever since and we have no means to solve this problem.
"We cannot watch these teachers tamper with the future of our children and something needs to be done urgently or some of the parents would be forced to withdraw their children from the school," said Mr Moyo.
Another parent, Mrs Sibonginkosi Ndlovu, expressed fears that if teachers continued to abandon their duties, pupils might fail their examinations.
"For a teacher to go fishing during working hours defeats the very effort to send these kids to school. No one is denying them a chance to fish but we are saying they can always do that after hours or on a weekend," said Mrs Ndlovu.
She said she was planning to transfer her two sons to a nearby school.
"We will continue to push this matter forward because we cannot stand and watch while our children are losing out," said Mrs Ndlovu.
She said parents were angry, as their efforts to meet the school officials were fruitless.
"We hope they desist from this irresponsible behaviour because it is bad for their image and that of the school," said Mrs Ndlovu.
Contacted for comment, a senior official at the school who only identified himself as Mr Sibanda, said teachers only went for fishing after work.
"These allegations are not true and whoever is spreading them has a personal vendetta with some of the staff here," said Mr Sibanda.
He said parents with a problem with the teachers should come forward and discuss with school officials.
"It's hard to act on rumours so whoever has a problem should talk to the school," said Mr Sibanda.
Source - Bulawayo24 Nwes
