Parents Besiege School, Accuse Two Teachers Of Initiating Learners Into Satanism
There was chaos at Hotsprings Secondary School in Chimanimani on Monday last week after irate parents stormed the institution, accusing two teachers of initiating more than 23 learners into satanism.
Anti-riot police officers were deployed to the school as the angry parents protested and shouted profanities at the two teachers (names withheld).
According to The Manica Post, since Sunday, learners at the school have been behaving strangely, including throwing themselves on the ground and uttering inaudible words.
Netsai Kudana of Nemutenzi Village told the publication that her brother’s 15-year-old daughter, whom she stays with, experienced unexplained phenomena the previous day, together with four other girls at one of the teachers’ houses. She said:
My niece has been struggling to walk since yesterday (Sunday) when she manifested and slithered like a snake. We are clueless about how to assist her, the teachers involved should give us the answers.
It all started yesterday morning when we heard that my niece’s classmate was manifesting at the school’s staff quarters.
People gathered to witness the drama. At least four girls were writhing on the ground and uttering inaudible words.
My niece then fell to the ground and started slithering like a snake. Her classmate said she is part of the group that was initiated into satanism by their teacher.
Maxwell Macheza claimed that his daughter was the first one to “manifest” during a church service. He said:
It happened at church and we decided to take her to the teacher’s house. She said the teacher (name provided) was directing her to kill her mother and offer her as a sacrifice to the cult.
She said they were initiated through sweets. Apparently, this teacher sells sweets at the school. At least five learners manifested yesterday.
They all claimed that there were three snakes in the teacher’s house. They also claimed that there is a clay pot with their names in the teacher’s house.
A School Development Committee (SDC) member, Gloria Machaya, accused the school head, a Mr Matsikure, of working in connivance with the two teachers. She said:
We asked Chief Mutambara to second a traditional healer to the school and he had agreed, but the school headmaster, Mr Matsikure, called the chief in our presence.
He did not know that the chief’s phone was on loudspeaker and he told him that he suspected that everything was being stage-managed.
He said the learners were faking everything. That is why Chief Mutambara asked us to bring the children to his place.
In an interview with The Manica Post on Tuesday, Manicaland Provincial Education Director, Edward Shumba confirmed the disturbances but said finding a lasting solution to the issue is beyond their jurisdiction as the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
Acting Chief Mutambara said he was still waiting to hear from the SDC as he had instructed them to bring the affected learners to his place so that he could deal with the matter.
On Tuesday, the parents besieged the school again, insisting that teachers should be transferred.
More: Pindula News
