CHAOS rocked Nyanyadzi High School in Chimanimani district, Manicaland province, yesterday, forcing disruption of lessons, as angry parents stormed the institution, accusing four teachers of initiating 10 students into Satanism.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
The police later intervened and ordered the teachers to leave the school, but the parents blocked the exit gate, singing derogatory songs and baying for the accused teachers’ blood.
Manicaland provincial education director, Edward Shumba confirmed the incident, saying he had ordered school authorities to engage the police and continue with normal lessons.
“I told them (school authorities) that if they have problems, I cannot comment over Satanism and I have told authorities at the school to continue with lessons,” he said.
“If there is any issue of Satanism, that should be held within the locality and not at the school. I told the authorities to call the police and the police are already at the school. Children should be in class. Our mandate is to teach and should children learn anything outside, it’s not my mandate.”
A parent, who declined to be named for the security of his child, said pupils had complained of being initiated into strange occult-related rituals by their teachers.
“They (teachers) are not leaving this school because they should fully explain what they wanted to do with our children’s blood. There are almost 10 children who have been initiated and there are some we don’t even know,” the parent alleged.
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“Our children are claiming that every night, they are taken by a queen, the leader of the teachers (name withheld). They said they are taken to some Asian country almost every day and dipped into a pool full of blood,” he said.
A teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “It’s a very sad situation because one of the teachers implicated is my friend. I am shocked about what is happening.”
Manicaland police provincial spokesperson, Tavhiringwa Kakohwa professed ignorance, claiming he was not aware of the matter.
Officials from the Primary and Secondary Education ministry arrived at the school around midday for a meeting with the institution’s authorities and other stakeholders in a bid to retain normalcy.
Pupils at the school reportedly joined their parents demonstrating for the immediate resignation of the four teachers.
Although various theories have been proffered on how the children were initiated, it is said that one teacher (name withheld) alleged used food to lure children and initiate them.
A source at the school alleged: “They (teachers) used food to lure children and initiate them into Satanism. The number is so big than what we are expecting.”
Zanu PF ward 8 Chimanimani district councillor Muyapi Chinguno’s mobile phone went unanswered.
The issue of Satanism was reportedly sparked by headman, Gudyanga over the weekend, where he ordered the quartet to attend a court session, but they refused.
The refusal reportedly infuriated the parents, who have been since joined by hordes of school children calling for the dismissal of the teachers.
