Form 4 pupil expelled for urinating in bottle during class

A Form Four pupil at Nyakatsapa High School in Mutasa District has been expelled after allegedly urinating into a bottle while seated in class, a move that has sparked outrage from the learner's family just months before his crucial ZIMSEC final examinations.

The boarding student, whose identity is being withheld for legal reasons, will now have to complete his studies as a private candidate when exams commence next term.

In an interview, the boy's father condemned the school's decision, claiming the teenager had requested permission to leave the classroom to use the toilet but was denied by the teacher on duty.

"I think the school authorities were heavy-handed in their decision to expel my son. What hurts me the most is that my child is in Form Four and has been told he can only return to write his final exams. There were other ways they could have handled this," the father said.

He expressed concern that the expulsion, coming just three months before the examinations in October, could jeopardise his son's academic future.

"Even if he had shown disciplinary problems, I think the school could have dealt with the matter diplomatically and constructively, especially given the stage he is at in his education," he said.

When contacted for comment, headmaster Mr Misheck Rwizi confirmed the incident, saying the case had been handled by his deputy.

"The parent came and discussed the matter with the deputy headmaster. Yes, the issue of urinating in a bottle in class was mentioned," Rwizi said.

He added that the pupil had been involved in previous disciplinary infractions, but the bottle incident was the most serious.

The incident has stirred debate among education stakeholders, with some questioning whether expulsion was a proportionate punishment for a student on the verge of completing secondary school.