Glen View 2 Primary School Headmaster Suspended With Immediate Effect
Glen View 2 Primary School headmaster, Jabulani Mpande has been suspended with immediate effect over alleged criminal abuse of office.
Mpande is accused of sexually abusing three ladies who were applying to enrol their children in the school, according to NewsDay.
In addition, he is charged with pressuring student teachers into having sex in exchange for his approval to operate a candy shop there.
Primary and Secondary Education spokesperson, Taungana Ndoro, said the Glen View 2 Primary School’s headmaster was suspended after parents petitioned the ministry. He said:
Yes (he was suspended), to allow for investigations and a disciplinary hearing is to take place.
In their petition which attracted over 700 signatories, parents accused Mpande of arranging to buy a top-of-the-range vehicle at an estimated cost of US$73 000 for his use when conducting school business.
Every parent was allegedly expected to pay US$30 towards that vehicle.
The headmaster was also accused of awarding tenders to relatives and friends and allegedly increased remedial fees from US$1 per week to US$4. The parents said:
In light of the allegations, we ask your esteemed offices to institute investigations urgently. We can’t stay a day longer with Mpande as the headmaster. We trust your important office will do justice to the parents, community and country at large and help restore the school to its former glory.
Mpande told NewsDay Weekender that he had no time to respond to the allegations.
Parents attempted to stop sending their kids to school last week, but they were unsuccessful.
Mpande was transferred from Chishawasha Primary School in Mashonaland East in 2007 after he was found guilty of indecently assaulting a Grade 6 pupil. The Labour Court dismissed his appeal to block the transfer.
In 2018, Mpande was accused of abusing his students by cutting and dyeing their hair black.
He was also accused of stripping and beating up students for wearing jerseys with the wrong colours. Some parents at the school said they were not comfortable with him around their children.
