STUDENTS at Mutambara High School in Chimanimani reportedly ran riot on Sunday and destroyed property worth hundreds of dollars after they were barred from watching World Cup soccer matches on television.
OBEY MANAYITI STAFF REPORTER
Although officials at the United Methodist Church-run boarding school declined to comment over the issue, sources said officials from the Ministry of Education’s regional offices in Manicaland province were already investigating the incident.
Acting provincial education director Andrew Chigumira yesterday confirmed the disturbances, but said he was yet to receive a full report.
“I can confirm that there were disturbances at the school. The school authorities phoned me in the morning and we have dispatched a team to investigate and report back later today,” Chigumira said.
The students had initially been granted permission to watch the World Cup match pitting Netherlands against Mexico.
According to sources, violence broke out after some students said they wanted to watch the match from the library while others insisted on using the facility for study. Following the skirmishes, school authorities cancelled the screening of the matches.
“The students themselves could not agree on what to do between watching soccer and studying, prompting the school deputy head to order them to go and sleep,” said a source who declined to be named. “Security officers were then instructed to ensure that the students go back to their dormitories, but along the way one student was assaulted by the security personnel. That is when the students turned violent and destroyed several gates, furniture, a staff house and smashed several window panes.”
