Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
A MUTARE private school principal is on the run after allegedly sexually abusing 14 female learners at an unregistered secondary school operating in the city’s low-density suburb of Murambi.
The suspect, Amos Nyashanu, who served as both principal and proprietor of New Wonderland Academy, has reportedly gone into hiding, and has since been placed on the police wanted list as investigations intensify.
The allegations have sent shockwaves through the education sector, and come amid growing concern over cases of sexual abuse involving school authorities in Manicaland.
The case follows similar reports at St David’s Bonda Girls’ High School in Mutasa District and Claremont High School in Nyanga District, where the alleged perpetrators are also reportedly evading arrest.
The matter has been reported to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, which dispatched an investigation team to verify the allegations and assess the school’s operations.
While the ministry’s Chief Director for Provincial Education Services in Manicaland, Mr Richard Gabaza, could not be reached for comment, The Manica Post understands that a detailed report has been compiled following an inspection by ministry officials and law enforcement agents.
According to findings contained in the report which The Manica Post managed to obtained, education and police officials were surprised to discover that the institution had been operating without registration.
“Following a visit by Assistant Inspector Mabvungautsi seeking information on New Wonderland Academy, whose principal was said to have sexually abused learners at the school, the district, which was previously unaware of the school’s existence, visited the institution together with CID officers and members of the Victim Friendly Unit,” reads part of the report.
The inspection revealed that the school has an enrolment of 70 learners, comprising 37 girls and 33 boys.
Investigators also established that the institution employed four permanent teaching staff members, only two of them are professionally qualified teachers. Three additional part-time female teachers were also engaged by the school.
The report further revealed a raft of operational shortcomings.
“The school was not registered and was operating illegally. It was offering the Heritage-Based Curriculum from Form One to Form Six. Its first Ordinary Level candidates sat for examinations in 2025,” the report states.
Inspectors found that the learning environment fell far below acceptable standards.
Among the concerns raised were overcrowded classrooms, inadequate sanitation facilities and poor infrastructure.
“The school had no sporting facilities. Its infrastructure was not conducive to effective teaching and learning. Classrooms were too small for the number of learners enrolled, while toilet facilities were inadequate and not gender-friendly,” notes the report.
The investigation also uncovered serious concerns around learner protection and school governance.
“The school had no written code of conduct for either staff or learners. Furthermore, the environment contained several hazards, including a disused swimming pool and open trenches around the premises, all of which posed safety risks to learners.”
At the time of the inspection, Nyashanu was nowhere to be found.
“The principal, who is also the owner of the school, was not available, and was suspected to be on the run while being investigated by police for alleged sexual abuse,” the report states.
Following the visit, investigators recommended a comprehensive inquiry into the school’s operations, including learner welfare, administration and academic standards.
“It was recommended that an urgent and more extensive investigation be conducted focusing on learner welfare issues, administrative systems, and teaching and learning practices,” the report further states.
Education experts have since warned parents against enrolling children in unregistered institutions, saying such schools often operate outside established regulatory frameworks designed to safeguard learners.
They noted that unregistered schools may lack adequate child-protection mechanisms, qualified staff, proper supervision and safe infrastructure, exposing learners, particularly girls, to heightened risks of abuse and neglect.
Parents were urged to verify a school’s registration status with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, assess the qualifications of teaching staff, inspect facilities and ensure that institutions have clear child-protection policies before enrolling their children.
Meanwhile, police investigations into the allegations against Nyashanu are continuing, with authorities appealing for information that could lead to his arrest.
