Parents shut down school over poor Grade Seven results

LESSONS at Chivaka Primary School in Bikita were briefly stopped last week as disgruntled parents stormed the school demanding the transfer of two Grade Seven teachers, accusing them of producing poor results.

The school recorded a 3%pass rate in the 2017 Grade Seven results released last month.

Acting Bikita district education inspector Chioneso Maradza confirmed the incident.

"I can confirm that there was a disturbance at the school on Thursday last week, but you can refer all your questions to the provincial education director," Maradza said.

According to one parent who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation, irate parents stormed the Grade Seven classrooms and commandeered their children to leave, accusing the two teachers of spending most of their time attending to personal businesses.

The parents also threatened to continue withholding their children until the teachers have been transferred.

"They are demanding the return of two previous teachers who produced good results, but were affected by overstaffing. Most well-up families and civil servants are said to have pulled out their children from the school and transferred them to better schools," he said.

Sources close to the matter also revealed that the late school head, Shupeni Sithole, had written several reports to the district education offices complaining over the teachers' conduct, but no action was taken.

Masvingo provincial education director Zedius Chitaga said he was yet to receive the report.

"The report is yet to reach my office, but as soon as it comes through, I will take appropriate measures to deal with the matter as soon as possible. We don't want to disadvantage the children, so we are going to act swiftly," he said.