MAGWEGWE residents were yesterday up in arms against a recently posted head at the local primary school, accusing her of disrespecting them and denying their children places.
BENSON DUBE OWN CORRESPONDENT
The parents accused the head of unilaterally terminating teachers’ contracts.
Residents demonstrated inside the school premises vowing not to leave the area until the head, Stella Mhlanga, left the school. The placard-waving demonstrators chanted a popular war cry, saying they hated what the head was doing.
Police officers were called in to quell the demonstrators, who picketed at the school premises for more than three hours.
A member of the school development association, Matilda Ncube, said they were not happy with the conduct of the head.
“She insults parents who come to her office looking for places for their children,” she said.
“When parents visit her office, she says they should not lean against the curtains, as they would make them dirty.
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“She fires teachers without informing us as parents.”
Ncube said the head had railroaded parents into buying uniforms from only one store in the city.
Coincidentally, a vehicle from the named store, which was seen driving to the school, made an abrupt turn when the driver noticed there were protests.
Magwegwe Residents’ Association chairperson, Charles Ndlovu, claimed the new head had asked residents to build her a private toilet, as she could not share with other teachers.
As tempers soared, police convened a meeting in the head’s office in an effort to calm the situation down.
“I am new at this school and I have not changed anything,” the head said.
“I am not the one responsible for the enrolment of pupils, there is a committee for that.”
Mhlanga said if parents had a problem with her, they should approach her, rather than stage a demonstration.
“We did not fire anyone, their contracts expired and we had to stop them so that their contracts are renewed by the parents,” she said in response to allegations she had arbitrarily fired teachers.
However, Ndlovu said they had not come to discuss with her, but rather to tell her she was fired.
“We came here to tell you that we no longer need you services at the school,” he said.
“Since 1964, we have never had a situation like this. We are here to tell you that we have fired you.”
Efforts to contact the local councillor, Concillia Mlala, were fruitless as she was said to be out in her fields and her phone was not reachable.
