adminLovemore Meya Herald Correspondent
The head of Chifamba High School in Mudzi is under fire from parents for allegedly misappropriating funds, harassment and periodically changing teachers’ subject allocations among other issues.
The teachers complained of working under harsh conditions and accused the head, Ms Beauty Zamisa, of running down the school.
Ms Zamisa is reportedly thwarting all enquiries on how she is running the school, while the pass rate has plummeted.
As such, parents are mooting a demonstration by withholding their children for at least two days for Government to act swiftly.
“We want her to be transferred because she has caused so much damage to the school, teachers, school children and parents,” said Mr Israel Mupfawa, a village head.
“All certificates she refused to give the owners were burnt in the fire on October 7 last year the day auditors came to check on the missing $12 500 . We suspect she started it basing on circumstantial evidence in a bid to nullify the allegations.
“The responsible authorities should come to our rescue, give us feedback on audit or else we will not pay any money to the school,” he said.
Mr Mupfawa said the situation has forced some parents to transfer their children to faraway schools.
A visit to the school by this publication witnessed a sorry state of the institution which reportedly last received a facelift before she assumed office.
The deputy headmaster who was only identified as Mr Kaitona refused to entertain this reporter citing school protocol.
However, investigations revealed that teachers do not have enough materials.
“We are working under hush conditions like using charcoal when giving out notes since the headmistress is intolerable, always harassing us in front of children and changing subject allocations.
“Students are no longer attending sports competitions because the school is failing to pay the affiliation fee. During meetings, we are not allowed to make contributions and her word is final,” said the teacher.
Contacted for comment, Ms Zamisa refuted the allegations.
“It is not true. All these people are trying to undermine me because I am a woman,” said Ms Zamisa.
“I inherited these problems when I took over the school and the teachers are failing to understand that the allegations of the missing money are being fabricated against me.
“The teachers are fighting me tooth and nail, the reason being leadership they want. I do not know if they talked to the Press in an endeavour to topple me.”
Chifamba Old Students Association chairperson Mr Lawyer Katonha said they tried to talk to Ms Zamisa, but to no avail.
“We held two separate meetings with her where we discussed a number of grievances that were brought to our attention by parents, students and teachers.
“She promised to look into them but nothing changed and we wrote to District Education Officer Mr Godfrey Chimbwanda who told us that the issues were being looked at at a higher office,” he said.
Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango said the report was never brought to their attention.
“This is the first time to hear of the allegations. We are going to do a follow up with the province,” said Dr Utete-Masango.
Online Reporter