Satanism rife at High School

TEACHERS at Maboleni High School in Lower Gweru have reportedly suspended lessons following acts of suspected Satanism at the school.

Sources said the teachers allegedly woke up and found classroom blocks and teachers' cottages walls sprinkled with blood.

The headmaster in an apparent state of panic, reportedly hired members of an indigenous church sect (name supplied) who allegedly went on to sprinkle more blood on the classrooms and teachers' cottages in a bid to "cleanse" the school.

The incident, which is now the talk of Lower Gweru community, occurred between Thursday and   Saturday. Some members of staff who spoke to Chronicle yesterday said they have not been conducting lessons since Monday following the strange development at the school.

"We have not been conducting lessons since Monday following the strange developments at our school. We are afraid to conduct lessons in the classrooms.

"What has made the situation more frightening is that after we discovered blood sprinkled all over the walls on Friday morning, the headmaster went on  to hire some indigenous church sect leaders who went on to sprinkle more blood on walls during their cleansing ceremony," said another teacher.

The teachers said the cleansing ceremony was conducted at the weekend in the presence of two local traditional leaders, Chief Bunina and Chief Sogwala.

"We resolved to boycott lessons because we now fear for our lives. We now feel our lives are in danger because everyone is confused as to what is going on at our school," said another teacher.

A delegation from the provincial education director's office yesterday visited the school to investigate the alleged Satanism.
The teachers said the delegation persuaded staff members to invigilate public examinations which started yesterday.

"It needed the intervention of officials from the provincial education director's office to persuade some of us take part in the invigilation of exams which started today (yesterday).

"The officials also had a meeting with the teachers and scheduled another meeting with parents to map the way forward," said another member of staff.

The school's headmaster, Mr Earnest Sibindi, confirmed that officials from the provincial education director's offices were at his school investigating the issue.  He declined to comment further.

"You can get in touch with the provincial education director for a comment. They are actually at the school over that subject," he said.
Acting provincial education director, Reverend Aaron Mativenga confirmed sending a team to Maboleni High School to investigate reports of Satanism.

He said his officials were yet to submit their findings.
"We have actually sent a team to the school and I am yet to get a report from the team," he said.