Teachers abandon school after 'rain of stones'

TEACHERS at Musita Primary School, Masakadza area in Gokwe North, have reportedly fled the school after their homes were mysteriously pelted with stones at night.

The teachers, whose school is under Chief Nemangwe, abandoned classes last week after cottages were mysteriously pelted by stones that were reportedly falling like rain on their roofs.

The asbestos roofs were destroyed by the mysterious rocks.

Some of the teachers have reportedly sought sanctuary in nearby villages while some pupils have, as a result, stopped coming to school.

The teachers started having the weird experience two weeks ago when they were awakened by a mysterious torrent of stones that cracked their asbestos roofs while the headmistress' property was destroyed after a huge stone fell into the house and destroyed the property.

Musita Primary School headmistress, Mrs Mary Chinyati, confirmed the phenomenon saying the teachers' lives had turned into a living nightmare due to the intermittent showering stones.

"I can confirm that the roof of my house was destroyed by mysterious showering stones that were falling from the sky. The stones fell into the house and destroyed part of my property. The first incident occurred on 6 July during the night when our houses were pelted by mysterious stones. Initially we suspected that it could be members of the local community who were bitter with some of the teachers.

"We then had another mysterious shower of stones during the day. These stones continue to fall every day and we are now living in fear because we do not know where, when and how this is going to end.

Some of the pupils have stopped coming to school following the incident," she said.
Chief Nemangwe said the local community had engaged an inyanga and spirit mediums to conduct a cleansing ceremony at the school.

"As a traditional leader, I am suspecting foul play. It could be a member of the community who is using his or her magical powers in order to frustrate the teachers.

"We first engaged the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education as well as the District Administrator for Gokwe North over the matter before we could proceed with the cleansing ceremony. We have also engaged a tsikamutanda so that he identifies the culprit.

We have also reported the matter to the police," he said.

Chief Nemangwe said teachers were living in fear and at one time they fled the school to stay in surrounding villages.