…accuse school authorities of negligence
Melinda Kusemachibi
Parents of over 30 pupils at Victoria High School are crying foul over failure by the school authorities to notify them on the expulsion of their children as the school failed to communicate with them after expelling the pupils last term.
They said they were surprised to learn about the incident on opening day (May 3) this term when their children were denied access into school premises after most had already paid school fees as well as buying food.
The expelled learners were reportedly forced to sleep in the fields for two nights as punishment for sneaking out to attend a racing event.
A parent who spoke to TellZim News said their children were expelled from the school without first notifying them.
“The school expelled our children from the school but to my surprise I did not receive any letter from the school indicating that the children had been expelled from the school. They even allowed them to board the school bus in Harare on opening day only to realize they had been expelled from the school.
“When there is a problem at the school or even when my child is sick, they would communicate or even call us but on this issue they did not call. To my surprise, the school head told me that he could not find our phone numbers,” said the parent.
The parent also went on to say that the school even let them pay school fees despite the fact that their learners were expelled and when they inquired with the school, they were offered a transfer letter which indicated that it was at the parent’s request.
“They even allowed us to pay the school fees which the school head has told us that they will refund us,” added the parent.
However, Victoria High Head Engelbert Chimbwari dismissed the allegations and said that no pupil was expelled from the school.
“There are no pupils that were expelled from the school. It was just a displinary process,” said Chimbwari.
Asked to shed light on the issue of pupils having been served with transfer letters, Chimbwari professed ignorance on the matter.
Contacted for comment on the issue Acting Provincial Education Director (PED) Shylet Mhike said that the matter had not yet been reported at her office.
“The matter is yet to be reported at my office but if the school had expelled the children because of different reasons which might be linked to stubbornness then the school has the right to expel such pupils,” said Mhike.
Human rights lawyer Martin Mureri said considering the rights of the pupils, what the school did was not right as they were supposed to call and inform their parents first.
“They should have notified their parents first and hear what was the story behind, then if disciplinary proceedings were supposed to be done, then they should have done that than just expelling pupils without hearing what the story was about,” said Mureri.
It is reported that the pupils are yet to attend lessons or even allowed to sleep in the hostels after being punished for sneaking out of school to attend a motor bike racing event last term.
