THE district education officer for Mangwe district, Headman Mpofu, has insisted the three Makuzeze Primary School teachers transferred at the end of last year leave the school amid a raging feud between parents and the acting school headmistress over their redeployment. REPORT BY PAMELA MHLANGA OWN CORRESPONDENT
Mpofu yesterday told NewsDay that he had received transfer letters of the three teachers Lieto Dube, Sindiso Ncube and Nontokozo Denga (neé Mpofu) and “the issue of their redeployment could not be debated since the decision was from the Ministry of Education”.
“I do not know what the fuss that has been created over the transfer of the teachers is all about because as far as I am concerned, the decision has been taken by the ministry that they soon be redeployed to other stations,” he said.
“It is common sense that when teachers are reported to be inefficient in a school, they do not deserve to be in that certain school.”
Mpofu also said the evidence was clear since the teachers spent most of their time in meaningless squabbles instead of prioritising the education of the children, resulting in a disappointing low Grade Seven examinations pass rate last year.
He said the ministry had principles and values regarding education in all schools, which the teachers had reportedly not followed.
Mpofu, however, could not be drawn into revealing the fate of Victoria Pasipanodya, the acting school headmistress, the deputy head Robson Gotosa and a school teacher who is also the headmistress’ husband Munyaradzi Pasipanodya.
The three were chased away from the school by parents last week when schools opened.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“For now, we cannot take a stand as we are observing the situation. But if the community is not happy with their performance, we cannot argue on that,” he said.
Nearly a hundred villagers from Makuzeze village in Mangwe district led by their headman Peter Mpofu and Makuzeze Primary School Development Committee chairperson Simanga Sibanda, last week stormed the school demanding the transfer of the acting headmistress whom they accused of maladministration.
The villagers said they were not happy with the way the school was being run, in particular the transfer of three teachers for allegedly “undermining the authority of the acting headmistress”.
