High School closes over hysteria

Mazungunye High School in Bikita this week sent nearly 1 000 pupils home after authorities closed its doors following a wave of suspected hysteria that affected four children and a teacher.

Government officials from the district rushed to the school and ordered its closure on Tuesday.

Teachers from the school, who cannot be named, said trouble began after a female teacher who had just disembarked from a Mashoko Mission-bound kombi suddenly started screaming wildly claiming to have seen some strange visions.

"It all began after a lady teacher here who had just arrived back from town (Masvingo) started screaming saying she was seeing some terrifying visions of knife-wielding men who were trying to kill her.

"After that all hell broke loose as the hysteria affected four pupils in the school yard. The pupils started to scream wildly plunging the whole institution into panic," a teacher said.

Education officers from Bikita reportedly visited the school later in the day and announced its temporary closure for further investigations.

Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Peter Zhanero said police had not yet received such a report. However, Masvingo provincial education director Ms Clara Dube confirmed the hysteria attacks at the school adding that investigations were ongoing.

Ms Dube said the school would be closed temporarily to allow investigations into the problems affecting the pupils and staff.

"We sent the officials again to the school today (yesterday) because we want to get to the bottom of the matter," said Ms Dube.

"At the moment investigations are ongoing and we will issue a full report once all the facts are available."

Ms Dube said her office was working flat out to make sure that normalcy returned to the school for lessons to continue.