Teacher's satanist tatoos spark off trouble

PANDEMONIUM rocked Gombakomba Primary School last week as furious parents boycotted an annual general meeting and bayed for the blood of an ECD teacher who allegedly inscripted 'satanic tattoos' on their children.

Tempers flared as chagrined parents vouched to mete instant justice on an ECD teacher (name withheld), over allegations that she tattooed and allegedly initiated the ECD pupils she teaches into satanism.

When The Manica Post visited the school on Tuesday some parents were still visibly angry and demanding answers over the teacher's conduct.

Mrs Margaret Jakachira, who stays with her four-year-old grandchild, said the child has of late been behaving strangely. She stressed that the problem started when the child was 'tattooed WW' on his leg using a mighty marker. The tattoos were allegedly inscripted on February 15. The letters are still visible on the boy's right leg. The boy's strange behaviour has been troubling her granny for the past month.

"My grandchild has been behaving strangely since he was tattooed by that woman, and had it not been for the prayers and holy water that we were given at church, he would have been worse. I reported the matter to the police, but have not received the much required assistance yet. The school head claims to have reported the matter to the ministry too. At church, they told us that the tattoos were satanic and that they (Satanists) wanted his brains since he was very intelligent. The Satanists have been exposed before," said Mbuya Jakachira.

Following the fallout between the family and the teacher, Mbuya Jakachira has requested that her grandchild to be moved to a different class.

The school has granted her request. Another parent Mr Farai Mapungwana, whose two children were also tattooed by the same teacher, said one of them, now in Grade Two was tattooed in 2016 with a mighty marker and the inscription is still visible.

Mutare Rural District Council Ward 6 representative Clr Washington Muradzikwa said the incident has provoked anger among parents resulting in the abortion of the school AGM. "I actually talked to the headmaster and told him that it was better that the teacher who allegedly marked the child be transferred from the school since everyone is now vying for her blood. For the sake of the school's relations with the parents that is the only viable option available. As because as we speak some parents are demanding that their children be removed from the teacher's class. They have lost trust in and respect for her. They are fed up with her, and that puts her life in danger too. Once trust is lost, it's difficult to regain," said Clr Muradzikwa.

The school head Mr Steven Makedenge denied reports that parents were demanding that their children be removed from teacher's class.

He also disputed claims that the four- year-old boy had already been moved to another class. He said as a school they had made some arrangements to accommodate both parents and teachers comfortably.

He said the matter has since been reported to police. He however refused to divulge finer details citing restrictive protocol. Efforts to get a comment from the teacher were fruitless as her mobile phone was not readily available.