KWEKWE — Property worth about $200 000 went up in smoke last Tuesday when a fire razed down a boys’ hostel at Rio Tinto High School, 80 km outside Kwekwe. BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER
Chairperson of the School Development Association, George Makombe, confirmed the development yesterday saying the fire broke as grounds staff were trying to drive out bees from the ceiling using a burning tyre.
Makombe said the workers had been ordered by the acting headmistress identified as Kumbirai Mpesi to smoke out the bees using a smoldering tyre.
The uninsured dormitory which accommodated 80 students was razed to the ground destroying students’ belongings which included bedding, clothes and stationery.The affected students were now using the school hall as a makeshift hostel.
“There were bees at the dormitory and as the grounds staff attempted to get rid of them they took a burning tyre into the ceiling and unfortunately set the whole dormitory on fire,” Makombe said.
Livid parents yesterday accused Mpesi of causing the fire. The Makombe-led SDA is now under fire from parents to fire Mpesi who is accused of a litany of costly mistakes which also include running down other facilities at the school.
“She once left the school kombi being run without oil and it ended up breaking down before its time, school groceries are also missing without any explanation and we are now fed up with her,” said one parent.
School treasurer Owen Matava confirmed they were now under fire from parents, adding that they would convene an urgent meeting on Friday to discuss problems haunting the school.
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“We will be convening a meeting at the school on Friday to deal with the issues parents have brought to our attention. It is too early for me to tell you the course of action which we will take, I have to wait for the emergency meeting,” Matava said.
“We have made a make-shift plan to ensure that students continue with learning, they are now staying in the hall, while others have been squeezed into other dormitories so that the school does not close down.”
Affected pupils also received blankets, uniforms and food from the school which spent over $4 000 to replace damaged material.
