Kids collapse at a Harare local school as snakes roam in classroom

Also among the parents’ concerns was failure to provide water and electricity since last year. Police arrested one of the parents only identified as Sande for inciting parents to beat up the acting school head Simukai Mucha accused of misusing school funds along with the senior teacher and School Development Committee chairperson.

Parents’ were irked after two snakes were spotted and killed in the Early Child Development (ECD) class while one disappeared into the tall grass near the classroom.

“We are not happy with headmistress Mucha, she must leave this school since she doesn’t care about our children’s plight,” said one of the disgruntled parents.

“Zvanyanyotirwadza ndezvekuti vana varwara, tamubvunza nezvemari yaakadya akati ini vana vangu varikuboarding handina mwana aripano saka haana basa nazvo.

“She is a cruel mother, she went on to call police to beat us when we were fighting for our children’s rights. What is the reason for police to bring a gun when we are demonstrating peacefully, haisi nguva yehondo ino.

“We want ministry to come and make an audit because for more than a year there has been no water and electricity while the general workers have not received their salaries for six months.

“More than 1600 children enrolled here are at risk of typhoid since toilets are not being cleaned; our children are visiting a water tape in tall grasses for water whenever they switch on a generator.

“Nyoka kuwanikwa mumaclasses munofunda vana nekuda kwehutsvina, every day our children are asked to take water in buckets to school.

“They have been harvesting water from gutters during the rains and now that the rains have stopped, toilets are messed with poop.

“Our children are attending lessons while seated on the floor while some seated on filthy sofas donated by parents for their children.

“Unenge uchatumira mwana nezambia kuchikoro rekunowaridza pekugara vamwe varikufundira muhuswa husiri kuchekwa.

“Our children are being limited on food consumption fearing that they will frequently visit the toilets which are filled with maggots,” said the parent.

One of the cleaners told H-Metro that they have no tools to use to maintain the grounds and the district officers have not been taking their demands.

“Acting school head referred us to the district whenever we ask for tools and the district officials refers us back to the school head leaving us with no option,” said the general hand worker.

“For the past years, the district education officers are giving us unexperienced heads and Mucha is acting and looks disorganized.

“If you visit the toilets you will feel sorry for the pupils, they leave without washing hands vana vashanu vatakurwa varwara vachiendeswa kudzimba dzavo kwete kuchipatara,” said the general hand worker.

Parents were addressed by Rujeko Clinic sister in charge after she visited the facilities and took time with Mrs Mucha in her office. Parents were assured that the ministry would take action as soon as possible and they left the school.

Contacted for comment, acting school headmistress Mucha referred H-Metro to the district education officer Mr Masaraure who could not be reached for comment by the time of going to print.

“I have no comment, you can go and talk to the district education officer Mr Masaraure at Warren Park 5 Primary School,” said Mucha.