Parents vow to demonstrate against ‘fondling’ teacher

Midlands Correspondent
Parents with children attending Amaveni High School said they will seek to block a teacher facing allegations of fondling several pupils’ breasts during private lessons, from returning to the school when schools open for the first term on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education suspended Twoboy Sibanda, a Geography teacher at Amaveni High School last term on allegations of fondling Form Four girls’s breasts while conducting private lessons at the school.

Parents who spoke to Chronicle yesterday said they were surprised that the teacher was still walking scot-free despite many pupils having confessed falling victim to Sibanda’s fondling escapades.

The parents said the three months’ suspension which was slapped on Sibanda has since lapsed and he was expected to be back in class on Tuesday.

“This teacher (Sibanda), has been on suspension since last term on allegations of fondling pupils. He would call our children under the guise that he was conducting private lessons before fondling them,” said one parent.

The parents said what was disturbing was that the school and the ministry did not report the matter to the police.
They said they would stage a demonstration at the school on Tuesday in protest of the ministry’s failure to report the matter to the police.
“Sibanda was only suspended by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education without being reported to the police for indecent assault.

“We understand he is set to return to the school on Tuesday when schools open.
“We will try to block the move by staging a demonstration at the school on Tuesday,” said another parent.

Amaveni High School headmaster, Stancelus Mugwanda, confirmed Sibanda’s suspension but referred further questions to the Provincial Education Director, Mrs Agnes Gudo. “Sibanda has been on suspension since last year but when the three months suspension lapses, he should return to the class according to the rules. You can however get full details about the matter from our district education officers or the provincial education director,” he said.

Mrs Gudo said she was not in office yesterday, therefore refused to comment on the matter.