News / Local
Five pupils drop out after mass hysteria
05 Nov 2015 at 18:24hrs | Views
FIVE pupils at Nechishala Secondary School in Hwange have since dropped out of school following a hysteria that has affected scores of girls, The Chronicle reported.
Sources at the school said a pupil started screaming last Friday saying she was seeing an old woman.
They said when other pupils tried to assist her, she fainted and they also passed out. The Mashala Village head Smart Ndlovu, where the school is located, said he was summoned recently by teachers to the school to discuss the causes of the inexplicable mass fainting.
He said three Form Four pupils and two in Form Three had since dropped out following the hysteria.
"Today, I witnessed a parent picking up her Form Four girl who was staying at the school after scores of girls fainted last Friday. She comes from Kasibo Village where two other girls have also dropped out of school," said Ndlovu.
He said it was worrying to see a child being pulled out of school during examination time after spending four years preparing.
"It's not the first time that we have encountered such incidents at the school. We are yet to find out the root cause of this fainting which usually affects pupils during public examinations," said Ndlovu.
He said last year at almost the same time a number of girls fainted.
"We suspect this could be as a result of examinations fever," said the village head.
Parents who called The Chronicle to register their displeasure said they suspected witchcraft.
"There are a lot of stories to do with satanism these days and what is worrying is that only girls are affected," said one of the parents, who preferred anonymity.
He said he visited the school last week after he received information that his child, who stays at the school, which offers accommodation for those pupils that come from far away villages, was affected
Matabeleland North provincial education director, Boithatelo Mnguni, said she would send a team to the school to investigate.
"Yes, we have had incidents of hysteria at that school in the past but this time I haven't been informed. I will definitely send out my team to investigate," she said.
Mnguni urged parents who withdrew their children to send them back while investigations were being carried out.
chronicle
Sources at the school said a pupil started screaming last Friday saying she was seeing an old woman.
They said when other pupils tried to assist her, she fainted and they also passed out. The Mashala Village head Smart Ndlovu, where the school is located, said he was summoned recently by teachers to the school to discuss the causes of the inexplicable mass fainting.
He said three Form Four pupils and two in Form Three had since dropped out following the hysteria.
"Today, I witnessed a parent picking up her Form Four girl who was staying at the school after scores of girls fainted last Friday. She comes from Kasibo Village where two other girls have also dropped out of school," said Ndlovu.
He said it was worrying to see a child being pulled out of school during examination time after spending four years preparing.
"It's not the first time that we have encountered such incidents at the school. We are yet to find out the root cause of this fainting which usually affects pupils during public examinations," said Ndlovu.
He said last year at almost the same time a number of girls fainted.
"We suspect this could be as a result of examinations fever," said the village head.
Parents who called The Chronicle to register their displeasure said they suspected witchcraft.
"There are a lot of stories to do with satanism these days and what is worrying is that only girls are affected," said one of the parents, who preferred anonymity.
He said he visited the school last week after he received information that his child, who stays at the school, which offers accommodation for those pupils that come from far away villages, was affected
Matabeleland North provincial education director, Boithatelo Mnguni, said she would send a team to the school to investigate.
"Yes, we have had incidents of hysteria at that school in the past but this time I haven't been informed. I will definitely send out my team to investigate," she said.
Mnguni urged parents who withdrew their children to send them back while investigations were being carried out.
chronicle
Source - Chronicle
