Teachers boycott classes over scandalous relationship

TEACHERS at Thokozani Secondary School in Filabusi have reportedly stopped teaching Form Four classes in a revenge mission after some pupils reported a male teacher who was having an affair with a female pupil to the school authorities.

This incident has prompted the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education authorities to open an investigation into the matter.

It is alleged that last term, Liberty Ndaba, a teacher at the school,  was suspended by the ministry of Primary and Secondary Education after authorities learnt he was dating a school girl.

Thokozani Secondary is an annex of Bungwe High school.

Teachers suspected that other pupils reported the matter to authorities lead to Ndaba's suspension.

As punishment, the other teachers are said to have boycotted teaching form four classes.

Concerned villagers told Radio Dialogue, the teachers had been dragging their feet in performing their duties, in apparent anger towards the Form four students.

Villagers accused the teachers for sabotaging the pupils who are preparing to sit for their final examinations.

"We don't understand how these so called trained teachers are paid when they just spend their time sleeping at school. The teachers told the pupils that they would study better at home without assistance from them because if they tried to help them, the pupils thought the teachers had ulterior motives," said Mr Gasela.

The villagers said this situation was retrogressive and the pupils were getting a raw deal from the teachers. 

"The conduct of these teachers is also wrong. These are innocent schoolchildren but are now embroiled in such a mess. We have come across these form fours, some have been affected already as they were crying profusely saying their teachers hated them," the locals concurred.

Contacted for comment, Matabeleland South Provincial Education Director (PED), Tumisang Thabela expressed shock at the incident and said she would task the District Education Officer (DEO) to investigate immediately.

Thabela did confirm that last term, education authorities dealt with a case where the Disciplinary Committee was working on, involving a teacher said to be having an affair with a pupil.

She also highlighted that sometimes it was difficult for the education ministry to continuously monitor all schools because some were situated deep in rural areas.

"Some schools, especially in districts are hidden and checking on them on a day to day basis is difficult but I will send the DEO to investigate as soon as possible," Thabela said.

Education Minister, Dr Lazarus Dokora, said he could not comment effectively, as he had to be briefed or receive report from the provincial education office.

"The head office is in Harare so we rely on provincial and district reports. The headmaster can't say anything but the DEO and PED can shed more light. Maybe these offices are still working on the report before it is sent to the ministry," he said.