PARENTS in Harare’s Glen View suburb have petitioned the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education demanding the immediate expulsion of Glen View I High School head, Alois Maronga, whom they accuse of assaulting 94 pupils over non-payment of fees.
BY CHARLES LAITON
One of the parents, Givemore Matanhire, approached the ministry’s provincial offices last month to register his concern over Maronga’s conduct after his daughter was severely beaten over outstanding fees.
In a letter dated June 4 2015 and addressed to Matanhire, the ministry’s acting principal director identified as Jacob Gonese confirmed receiving several similar complaints but said “appropriate action” had already been taken against Maronga.
Part of Gonese’s letter read: “This communication serves to acknowledge that you visited head office of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education on several occasions starting from February 2014 and lastly on June 1 2015 and that you made a verbal and written report that your daughter, one Nyaradzo Matanhire, who was in Form 2 in 2014, had corporal punishment applied on her by the head of school on January 2014 for non-payment of fees.
“Be, however, advised that the ministry also received a report that several Form 2 students had corporal punishment applied on them for the same purpose.
“Consequent to your report and the report that had been received by the ministry, investigations were carried out and it was confirmed that several Form 2 students had corporal punishment applied on them.
“As a result, appropriate action, in terms of regulations applicable to the case and in the best interest of the school and the children there, action was taken.”
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The enraged parents last week said they were angered by Maronga’s continued presence at the school and demanded his immediate expulsion.
“I am the voice of the voiceless. I know my rights and what is best for children. We cannot have a situation where a school head beats up 94 children for fees. Why did he not confront parents if he felt he was so personally aggrieved for non-payment of fees?
“We want him removed from the school and be replaced with another,” Matanhire said.
Another parent who declined to be identified said the school head should have dealt with parents not children.
“That’s the worst form of administration. Children do not pay fees, parents do and if he was so angry he should at least have communicated with parents,” the parent said.
Maronga could not be reached for comment yesterday.
