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Sport, Arts and Culture offices contesting its takeover by Herentals College.
The college assumed full control of the community school after obtaining a High Court order last November.
Business came to a standstill at the Education offices as the placard-waving parents and pupils demanded audience with the Secretary for Education Dr Stephen Mahere.
“Bhesi guru renyika ravakutorwa nevane mari”, “National Heritage stolen from the Residents”, “Can 1 000 children suffer because Herentals wants to teach 60 children” and “Herentals Club is a robbery club”, read some of the placards.
The parents and their children spent hours singing and dancing before Dr Mahere addressed them.
He ordered the pupils to return to school while a solution was being sought.
Dr Mahere said the wrangle should not disadvantage pupils. Such transactions, he said, should always come to his office, but this did not happen in this case.
“Herentals promised us last year that they are leaving the premises, but I am surprised they are still in charge,” said Dr Mahere.
“While we engage Herentals officials, for now pupils should go to their school and use the classrooms. As for the court order barring the headmaster and his deputy from entering the school premises, we are going to talk to the Attorney-General.”
In granting Herentals the order, Justice Andrew Mutema barred the school head who was only identified as Mr Chinyamuchiko and his deputy Mr Mapanzure from interfering with Herentals’ operations.
Release Power Investments, owned by Mr Onias Gumbo, was embroiled in an ownership wrangle with Herentals following the sale of the school by Unitime Investments to the college.
Release Power and Mr Gumbo were cited as respondents, together with Mr Chinyamuchiko and Mr Mapanzure.
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“The respondent be and are hereby restrained and interdicted from interfering with or otherwise disrupting applicant’s (Herentals) business operations including the running of the school at stand number 7953 Tynwald Township,” read part of the order.
The respondents were also interdicted from registering and receiving levies and school fees from children registered under Herentals.
They were also interdicted from running parallel school administration structures other than those being run and operated by Herentals.
The judgment followed a decision by Release Power to withdraw its appeal against a High Court judgment granting Herentals the green light to operate the school.
Release Power withdrew its appeal after an out of court settlement.
At one time, the two warring parties had two title deeds before Release Power’s title deed was cancelled.
Parents expressed concern over the manner in which the school changed hands.
“Minister Didymus Mutasa being the (former) board chairman of the Cold Comfort Farm Trust should help us by explaining how the property on which the school is built changed hands,” said Mrs Mejury Gutu.
“This is a community school and we invested a lot in it and we can’t be chased away like that. There would not be chaos if we had been notified in time.”
Last night, the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Cde Mutasa said: “There is no case there. Herentals is stealing from the Cold Comfort community.”
Other parents said they could not afford the US$148 per term being charged by Herentals which is US$100 more than what they have been paying.
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