Students go on a rampage

ST MATHIAS Tsonzo High school in Mutasa has been rocked by student riots which are allegedly being instigated and sponsored by some teachers in a bid to push out the school head Mr Obvious Chikata.

The demonstrations started last Friday and involved mostly Forms 3, 4 and 6 students who were protesting over the suspension of two of their colleagues on allegations of drug and substance abuse.

The riots reached the fiver pitch on Sunday evening as male students wearing balaclavas stormed into the girls' dormitories and ordered them to join the demonstrations around 11pm.

Security guards and school authorities who tried to restrain the riotous students were pelted with an assortment of missiles.

The students vandalised the security fence around the learning area to troop out of the school premises, forcing the school authorities to summon police to quell the situation.

Mutasa District School Inspector Mrs Chipo Mlambo was holed at the school on Monday trying to break the impasse. Though Mrs Mlambo said the situation had stabilised, reports indicate that the students were threatening to strike again on Tuesday.

Provincial Education Director Mr Edward Shumba said the matter was still being investigated.