News / National
Pupils disappear, found dead in pool
29 Nov 2014 at 15:32hrs | Views
A DARK cloud hangs over St Killian's Mission School in Makoni this week following Monday's tragic incident in which two Form Three students at the boarding school drowned in a pool in Nyanga during a trip in the tourist resort area.
The death of the pupils - Arthur Kamukosi and Tafadzwa Gumi (both aged 16) - who had just been elected to become prefects at the school because of their good leadership qualities, shocked the Roman Catholic community and education authorities in Manicaland.
The incident comes barely a week after two Form Four students from Mt St Mary's Mission in Wedza drowned after they went swimming in Masawi Dam which is about 2km from the school yard. They had both just written their O-Level examinations while one of them had celebrated his birthday the previous day when disaster struck.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Inspector Enock Chishiri said the pupils drowned in Nyamombe Natural Pool in Nyanga.
"We don't have finer details of what really transpired, but information at hand suggests that the students had gone on a trip in Nyanga. The two disappeared from the group while at the pool. A search was conducted, but they were not located. The following morning they were found dead in a pool. Their bodies were retrieved," he said.
Police are still investigating the case to ascertain what transpired.
When our news crew visited the school on Wednesday afternoon, the school headmistress, Sister Irene Dumbura, some teachers and students had attended one of the deceased's burial in Mutasa District. The other one was being conducted in Mutoko the same day.
Interviewed pupils said the death of the prefects-elect shocked them.
They said they did not have more information on the incident as the school authority was tight-lipped over the case.
"We don't know anything save for the fact that our fellow pupils drowned during the trip. These two were among other pupils who had just been elected to become prefects. Our tradition is that prefects-elect go for a retreat with teachers where they will share notes on how best they can deliver their duties as student leaders at the school. This time around they went to Nyanga and visited Nyamombe Natural Pool where the two drowned," said a pupil who requested anonymity.
When contacted for comment, the school head was evasive saying she did not want to talk to the Press.
After she was reminded that the death of the students was not a secret and that the world wants to know what transpired, she directed her questions to the ministry.
Efforts to get a comment from Manicaland provincial education director, Mr Edward Shumba, were fruitless at the time of going to press.
The death of the pupils - Arthur Kamukosi and Tafadzwa Gumi (both aged 16) - who had just been elected to become prefects at the school because of their good leadership qualities, shocked the Roman Catholic community and education authorities in Manicaland.
The incident comes barely a week after two Form Four students from Mt St Mary's Mission in Wedza drowned after they went swimming in Masawi Dam which is about 2km from the school yard. They had both just written their O-Level examinations while one of them had celebrated his birthday the previous day when disaster struck.
Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Inspector Enock Chishiri said the pupils drowned in Nyamombe Natural Pool in Nyanga.
"We don't have finer details of what really transpired, but information at hand suggests that the students had gone on a trip in Nyanga. The two disappeared from the group while at the pool. A search was conducted, but they were not located. The following morning they were found dead in a pool. Their bodies were retrieved," he said.
Police are still investigating the case to ascertain what transpired.
Interviewed pupils said the death of the prefects-elect shocked them.
They said they did not have more information on the incident as the school authority was tight-lipped over the case.
"We don't know anything save for the fact that our fellow pupils drowned during the trip. These two were among other pupils who had just been elected to become prefects. Our tradition is that prefects-elect go for a retreat with teachers where they will share notes on how best they can deliver their duties as student leaders at the school. This time around they went to Nyanga and visited Nyamombe Natural Pool where the two drowned," said a pupil who requested anonymity.
When contacted for comment, the school head was evasive saying she did not want to talk to the Press.
After she was reminded that the death of the students was not a secret and that the world wants to know what transpired, she directed her questions to the ministry.
Efforts to get a comment from Manicaland provincial education director, Mr Edward Shumba, were fruitless at the time of going to press.
Source - manicapost
