Pupils sent home over secret WhatsApp channel scandal

A group of pupils at Sobukhazi High School in Bulawayo have reportedly been sent home after authorities uncovered a secret WhatsApp channel allegedly used to share explicit discussions, cyberbullying content and invitations to so-called Vuzu Parties.

The WhatsApp group, named "2k Dopest Nation," has since been shut down, but its contents have sent shockwaves through the school and the surrounding community.

Sources say the group was created and administered by pupils who are all minors, with shared content said to have crossed serious moral, disciplinary and safeguarding boundaries. Screenshots circulating among parents and learners show offensive jokes, mocking of fellow pupils, online shaming, and posts glorifying alcohol and drug use.

The channel allegedly became a virtual space for harmful behaviour, with learners openly discussing classmates, sometimes naming them. Polls were reportedly conducted asking who was the "hottest" boy, "prettiest" girl, or most talked-about couple at the school and in the neighbourhood - actions that reportedly left some pupils humiliated and emotionally distressed.

There were also messages promoting Vuzu Parties, informal gatherings associated with risky behaviour including alcohol consumption, drug experimentation and unsafe sexual conduct. Although no sexual acts were reported or proven, school authorities viewed the discussions and encouragement as dangerous and inappropriate for minors.

Sources close to the school claim that many of the pupils involved come from households where parents live in the diaspora, leaving them under the care of relatives or elderly guardians.

"Most of these kids stay alone or with grandparents. Phones are their parents," said a source familiar with the matter.

When school authorities became aware of the WhatsApp channel, the learners implicated were summoned together with their parents or guardians for disciplinary hearings. However, the process reportedly took a dramatic turn.

According to fellow pupils and sources, some learners allegedly presented fake parents at the hearings, with claims that local individuals were paid to pose as guardians.

"The school realised something was off," said a source. "Some of the men who came did not even know the children's full names or classes."

A school insider said once administrators became aware that false guardians were being presented, decisive action was taken.

"The learners were told to stop coming to school temporarily while the matter was escalated to their officially registered parents or guardians," the source said.

The move has left several pupils at home, triggering anxiety among genuine parents and guardians who fear for the children's academic future.

"We are waiting for 14 February. We don't know what will happen," said one guardian who requested anonymity. "I'm worried because I cannot afford to move my grandchild to another school."

Another parent echoed similar concerns, stressing the importance of education.

"It is painful to see a child sitting at home. I hope they are allowed back," the parent said.

Sobukhazi High School headmaster Cain Ncube declined to comment on the matter.
However, a school official who spoke on condition of anonymity dismissed claims that the pupils had been expelled or formally suspended.

"The children were not expelled or suspended," said the official. "They were excused from school for a short period as a corrective measure."

The official stressed that the school's focus was on guidance rather than punishment.

"Our role is to guide and mould children. When they go off course, we must redirect them. We will never chase a child away from school," the source said.

The official also raised concern over parental neglect, particularly among families separated by migration.

"Many of these children do not live with their parents because they are in the diaspora. That gap creates serious challenges. Parents must take responsibility," the official added.

According to the 2022 Zimbabwe Population and Housing Census, nearly 908 913 Zimbabweans live in the diaspora, a reality that continues to shape the upbringing, supervision and discipline of children left behind.

At Sobukhazi High School, the 2k Dopest Nation saga has become a stark warning about unchecked phone use, online behaviour and the thin line between teenage mischief and serious misconduct.