Sunday News

By Lulu Brenda Harris

16 March 2013

THE Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has declared that all its schools are safe maintaining the “satanism” reports are centred on people’s beliefs, which should be separated from the functions of the learning institutions.

The ministry contended teachers in the schools were tasked with teaching and did not meddle or influence what their pupils believed in, as that was the parents’ responsibility, noting people had different beliefs and values.

Individual beliefs and values, which families possess and believe in should not be imposed on other children, the education ministry added.

These past weeks, numerous reports emanated from schools across the country such as Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, Mashonaland East and Harare, where schoolchildren are said to have fainted mysteriously, broken into fits of hysteria while one schoolgirl woke up with her throat slashed, others grew fur and developed “vampire” teeth.

Upon hearing this, the education ministry opened an urgent inquest led by its permanent secretary to investigate what was happening across the country’s schools.

In an interview with Sunday News, Deputy Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Cde Lazarus Dokora, said allegations of cults and satanism taking place in schools were centred on what people believed in emphasising there was no basis to say the schools propelled these acts, as these were learning institutions mandated to educate children only.

He said schools were manned by professionals who were suitably trained, sought after by other countries adding they were hired to teach and educate children, nothing else, nothing more.

“These are matters of belief, faith and values, teachers do not foster beliefs in children. Teachers only teach the curriculum to the children and matters of beliefs are solely the parents’ responsibility.”

The deputy minister referred to the school girl at Entumbane High School who fainted causing other girls to faint when they tried to resuscitate her.

He said: “It’s reported mysterious things started happening to the girl after taking extra lessons from her church. You see she went to her church not to school, the school had nothing to do with that. It’s all about belief systems families have, not the schools and school authorities can’t interfere with that.”

Cde Dokora said even the Nhowa mission teacher who is alleged to have given arm wrists to the two school children who then grew fur and developed vampire teeth was released by the police, as they established otherwise.

“The way parents create frenzy is to propel the nation into a misguided one. Teachers in schools perform their duties as spelled out to them and as legally mandated to. They should not venture into other acts while in schools. We hire professionals, if by any chance they are, they should do it outside school because they are hired to teach children education,” he said.

Last week, Senator David Coltart, sternly warned whoever was doing these unwarranted acts in the schools would be dealt with and disciplined.

The deputy minister said satanism aside, looking at the fainting and hysteria there could be all kinds of reasons why these were happening.

He said in any large groups who live together, fainting was bound to happen and activities like sport were one possible reason or those that disrupted one’s normal routine. “Once many people congregate at one place people faint, it’s one phenomenon common at boarding schools, were pupils faint, or hallucinate, even journalists faint in the newsrooms. Something would have happened to trigger that kind of response. This is out of the ordinary, this had nothing to do with occults. The message is let children remain in schools. Schools are suitable institutions. I don’t even know what Satanism is,” he said.

Sunday News

By Robin Muchetu

16 March 2013

MOST privately run primary schools in Bulawayo have over the years been performing dismally at Grade 7 examinations, especially in isiNdebele despite the schools being very expensive and expected to produce quality results, with Government and church-run schools coming out tops.

Fact sheet

* Students fail isiNdebele dismally

* Private schools are very expensive, ——— between $800 and $1 500

* Students punished for speaking vernacular

* Specific days set aside for speaking isiNdebele

A survey carried out by Sunday News, revealed that schools in the eastern suburbs do well in Mathematics, English and Content but fall short in isiNdebele which makes them rank at the bottom.

According to a Grade 7 analysis report for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, the top five schools did well. These are Fairview, a Seventh Day Adventist Church-run school which had a pass rate of 99,6 percent, Ross Camp run by the Zimbabwe Republic Police with 99 percent, SDA Church-run Pelandaba with 94,3 percent, Riverside, a private school, with 93,3 percent and at number five is Roman Catholic Church-run St Thomas Aquinas with 92,4 percent.

The provincial education director for Bulawayo, Mr Dan Moyo, said the poor performance in isiNdebele in private schools could be attributed to the fact that schools in the eastern suburbs were multi-cultural with a majority being Indian, Jewish or White and have limited time to speak isiNdebele.

“Many schools in the eastern suburbs such as Camel and Whitestone are multi-cultural with a majority being Jewish, Indian and White, making English their first language. Ndebele then becomes a second language making it hard for them to learn and understand it effectively,’’ said Mr Moyo.

He said the fact the pupils do not speak isiNdebele when they are at home makes it difficult for them to fully learn and understand the language. The PED said even the African children who are enrolled at the same schools hardly speak the language at home so in turn they also perform dismally at school.

The schools in eastern suburbs are said to be punishing pupils who speak vernacular while they are in the school premises, which makes it virtually impossible for the pupils to grasp the language well. Some schools, however, have introduced a “Ndebele Day” where the pupils will be allowed to speak isiNdebele freely.

The PED condemned this, saying it was rather harsh that schools forbid the use of isiNdebele on other days of the week.

“I have not heard of any schools that are doing that but to say they banned the use of isiNdebele is rather harsh. The language needs to be spoken so that students grasp it better,” he said.

The PED, however, defended the move to learn more of English language as it is an international language that can enable one to communicate effectively with people across the world. He said it was necessary that students learn more of English, as it will be an asset to them while languages such as isiNdebele are spoken by a minority.

The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, said there was no government policy which related to the use of vernacular languages at schools as pupils have the right to communicate in their mother tongue while at school.

“There is no set policy on the use of language as such but it must be understood that the Constitution respects the use of one’s mother tongue to communicate effectively,” said Sen Coltart.

He said what must be noted though was that when students are taking particular classes they should use the appropriate language.

“When students are taking a Shona or isiNdebele class they must use those languages. it is allowed and appropriate but when they turn to an English based subject they have to use English to communicate,” he said.

The challenge of minority languages is also rife in other provinces such as Matabeleland North where students have been made to learn languages at a late stage. A good example is that of schools in Hwange which started learning Nambya at Grade Six and are to be examined at Grade 7, yet other languages like isiNdebele and Shona are taught for seven years.

The acting PED for Matabeleland North, Mr Mathias Luphahla, however, said the schools were coping.

“Schools are managing on that end, take for instance Binga where exams were done in Tonga and the students passed well at primary level in 2011 and 2012. Even those in Hwange did well in Nambya when they took examinations,” said Luphahla.

Mr Luphahla said if schools felt they were not prepared for the examinations they were not compelled to register their students, as it is not compulsory.

He said Zimbabwe was liaising with its Zambian counterparts so that they exchange information on languages such as Nambya and Tonga. He also said there is a local publishing house that is printing books in Tonga but it has not started on books in Nambya.

Historian Mr Pathisa Nyathi said the challenge with Africans is that they demonise and abandon anything to do with their culture.

“Africans tend to demonise and abandon anything to do with their culture or heritage such that they fail to perform when the time comes. They actually take pride in their failure to speak their own local languages,” said Mr Nyathi.

He said the challenge was also with parents and guardians who do not encourage children to have interest in their own heritage. He said Africans are not rooted in their own past and think other people are better than them thus they follow foreign cultures.

Mr Nyathi added that parents sent their children to the so-called affluent schools not for education but as a status symbol.

“Parents take pride in sending their children to affluent schools as a sign of prestige and not for quality education, thus they perform dismally not only in isiNdebele but many other subjects,” he lamented.

On the issue of other minority languages he said the education ministry needed to introduce the languages from Early Childhood classes up to Grade 7 so that pupils can be tested effectively.

He said there was still a hangover from the colonial era where students were punished for speaking in vernacular at school.

News Day

By Silas Nkala

15 March 2013

SOME parents with children at Plumtree High School have reportedly written to Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart demanding an investigation into alleged cases of financial mismanagement at the school.

The letter was copied to Matabeleland South provincial education director Tumisang Thabela.

Coltart yesterday told Newsday he had not yet received the letter, but confirmed receiving several complaints from the school over the past two years.

“I have not yet received the letter you are talking about, but over the last two years I have received a variety of such reports concerning the school,” he said.

“This happens at a time when the school is in a process of being turned into an academy.”

The latest allegations stemmed from the alleged illegal withdrawals of $8 800 from the school’s bus levy account by the school development committee (SDC) led by Fletcher Velempini and acting headmaster Mathumulo Nare, to buy a twincab truck from South Africa to use by the headmaster.

“We have asked Coltart and Thabela to probe the suspected misuse of funds by the Plumtree High School administration and SDC,” a parent who declined to be named said.

“Parents were recently made to contribute $100 each as a special levy for payment of a Zesa bill and for the purchase of a school bus. But instead, $8 800 was used to purchase a Nissa truck registration ACR 3698 being used by Nare.”

The school is also reported to have received $32 000 from the Zimbabwe Statistical Agency that used the school as a camping venue for enumerators in the last census. The parents claimed they had not yet been briefed about the money.

Contacted for comment, Velempini said he was not aware of a letter written to Coltart.

“At the moment I am at the referendum preparations. Why don’t you call me next week? But I do not know what you are talking about,” he said.

Nare was not reachable for comment yesterday while Thabela was not in her office when contacted for comment.

The fresh row at the school comes a year after the previous school administration led by headmaster Prince Mange and former SDC chairman Elson Shava, was removed from office after parents complained over alleged misuse of funds.

Parents were accusing the administration and the SDC of not paying school fees for their children at the institution, thereby prejudicing the school of $8 300 per term.

Police in Plumtree are investigating a case of fraud involving an undisclosed amount of money at the same school which the authorities allegedly did not remit to the National Employment Council for Welfare and Education Institutions for the past 16 months as workers’ subscriptions.

News Day

By Vitalis Moyo

11 March 2013

HARTSFIELD grounds on Saturday hosted a classic encounter between the Sables and the Springbok legends as part of the Matabeleland Ruby Football Board’s (MRFB) celebration of the ground’s 75 years of existence.

Des van Jaarsveld, who is the oldest surviving former Springbok at 83 years old kicked the ball to begin the clash.

The Springbok legends ran riot on the scoring front to outplay their neighbours, scoring a massive 11 tries to win the exhilarating encounter 67-24.

The floodgates were opened in the early minutes of the game after Blue Bulls winger John Mametsa slipped past a relaxed Sables defence to place the ball under the posts, while Carlos Spencer, who has played over 30 games for the Legendary All Blacks, followed up with a successful conversion.

Springbok lock Albert Van Der Berg extended his side’s lead when he scored the second try of the match followed by yet another successful conversion off the boot of Spencer to put the Springboks 14 up.

Van Der Berg added three more tries to his tally before the end of the match.

Pieter Multer also scored before Jonathan Artken added another try for the Boks when he was tackled near the try-line, but he managed to place the ball on the line to put the game out of the reach of the Sables legends.

The home-crowd continued to rally behind the Sables and that paid off when Adam York scored the home team’s first try much to the delight of the fans and some relief to the Sables players, while Lloyd Turner followed up with a successful conversion.

The scoreline was 31-7 at the break.

In the second half, Emmanuel Munyoro made an impressive run down the right side eluding the Springbok defence before placing the ball under the posts to score the Sables’ second try of the day followed by a conversion by Turner.

Dave Walters and Herno Mentz also scored a try each to put the Sables at 24 points at the end of the gruelling clash.

The celebrations were graced by Education, Sport, Arts, and Culture minister David Coltart who applauded MRFB for successfully hosting the event.

“I am delighted that the Springboks came because rugby in Matabeleland has been in the doldrums for a while now and they needed this kind of support. “We are hoping that this will encourage the support of the retired rugby players to be involved in the development of the sport,” Coltart said.

Sports and Recreation Commission president Joseph James and Zimbabwe Rugby Union president John Falkenberg were among the delegates present.

The Standard

By Jennifer Dube

10 March 2013

THE Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has deployed a team to investigate numerous claims of Satanism at several schools countrywide.

Education minister, David Coltart said claims of Satanism were disturbing smooth learning in several schools across the country. In some cases, parents had to transfer their children from the affected schools fearing the stigmatisation associated with the practice.

“I have ordered this morning the acting permanent secretary Mr [Chrispen] Bowora to investigate the Hatcliffe incident,” Coltart said. “We need to understand who is promoting this.

“People who are promoting these practices will be subjected to severe disciplinary measures.”

Hundreds of people last week besieged Hatcliffe 1 Primary School in Harare where two Grade 5 pupils reportedly grew canine teeth and fur after being given rings and bracelets by their class teacher.
The teacher is alleged to be a staunch member of a Pentecostal church, popular for performing “miracles”.

Earlier in the week, parents of a pupil from Nhowe Mission in Mashonaland East province withdrew their child from the school following allegations that she had her throat mysteriously slashed at night.

Several of her dorm mates reportedly woke up in blood-stained blankets.

It was also recently reported that a stranger turned into a snake and entered the body of a Kuwadzana 6 Primary School pupil through the mouth after the boy had allegedly picked a R2 coin.

Scores of people thronged Yamuranai Primary School in Mufakose in March last year following allegations that a Grade 2 pupil regularly changed into a snake after being initiated into Satanism by an unidentified Budiriro woman.

Parents and teachers’ organisations last week said they were disturbed by the increase in the number of Satanism claims.

“The government should put a stop to this nonsense as it is disturbing children’s education,” said one parent, Liznet Katsidzira. “Our children are no longer safe at these schools.

“Government should ask prophets to cleanse schools countrywide.” Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) chief executive officer, Sifiso Ndlovu said religious leaders should be called in to flush out the perpetrators of such ungodly practices.

“We should not be in a state of denial when such things which we do not understand happen,” Ndlovu said. “Authorities should consult people who understand the spiritual realm including Christians, traditional healers and spirit mediums.

He said there was need to give psychotherapy to the victims, especially the children, so that they are not affected in their studies by such strange happenings.

The Sunday News

9 March 2013

Zimbabwe Sables Legends……………(7) 24

Springboks Legends………………….. (31) 67

SPRINGBOKS Legends were in rampant form against their Zimbabwe Sables counterparts as they thrashed their hosts in a commemorative match at Hartsfield Rugby Ground in Bulawayo held to mark the ground’s 75th anniversary.

The South Africans, coached by former Springboks coach Ian McIntosh, scored 11 tries, six of them converted with four of those coming from lock Albert van der Berg while the Sables old timers managed three tries, one in the first half and the other two in the second period.

With both sides still sizing each other up in the first few minutes, play was mainly concentrated in the forwards with the backline players seeing little of the ball. It was the Springboks Legends who scored first when former Blue Bulls winger John Mametsa burst through on the right to score under the posts for ex New Zealand flyhalf Carlos Spencer to kick in the conversion.

Five minutes later, Van de Berg had the first                                 of his four tries and the conversion from Spencer made it 14-0 to the visitors. Mametsa turned             provider 14 minutes into the encounter when he offloaded to first centre Pieter Muller and again Spencer sailed the conversion kick over the posts to make it 21-0.

Jonathan Artken recorded the fourth try for the Springboks Legends 19 minutes into the match when despite being tackled by a Zimbabwean player he managed to reach out and plant the ball over the line but Spencer’s boots let him down this time around when he missed the conversion kick.

The Zimbabwe Sables Legends got their first points on board 22 minutes into the encounter when Paul Staak set up Adam York who went over near the posts and Lloyd Turner converted.

Mark Wood picked up the fifth five-pointer for the South Africans a minute before the end of the first period with a missed conversion by Spencer seeing the visitors lead 31-7 going into the break.

Two minutes after the break Herno Mentz picked up the sixth try for the tourists and that opened the floodgates with five further tries for the visitors in the second half.

Emanuel Munyoro and Andre Coetzee pulled a try each for Zimbabwe Sables Legends with Munyoro’s try converted by Turner to ensure that the hosts lost by a respectable margin.

A big crowd turned out to watch the legends as they took the fans down memory lane. Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart, Sports and Recreation Commission chairman Joseph James and Zimbabwe Rugby Union president John Falkenberg were some of the prominent personalities who watched the match.

Earlier in the day, there were matches between the Milton and Plumtree Under-16s, Milton and Plumtree first teams as well as a match between some Matabeleland and Botswana senior players.

The Sunday News

By Mehluli Sibanda

9 March 2013

LONG-SUFFERING Bulawayo cricket fans will have something to smile about when the city hosts two Twenty20 Internationals and three One-Day International matches pitting the hosts and Bangladesh at Queens Sports Club next month.

Bulawayo cricket lovers have over the past few years been overlooked when it came to international cricket with Harare hosting the bulk of the matches. Zimbabwe Cricket seem to have taken heed of a directive issued last year by the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, David Coltart to spread international matches between the two venues, Harare Sports Club and Queens Sports Club.

Last year the minister ordered all national sporting associations through the Sports and Recreation Commission to spread international sporting events to other parts of the country.

Bulawayo fans last witnessed international cricket action way back in November 2011 when Zimbabwe took on New Zealand in a one-off Test match, an exciting affair in which Zimbabwe came close to causing an upset before they suffered a heart-breaking 34-run defeat to the Kiwis.

Prior to the five-day match, Zimbabwe had beaten New Zealand in the third and final ODI at Queens with Malcolm Waller leading the hosts to a one-wicket triumph.

Zimbabwe, however, did not have a great time when they last squared off against the Bangladesh Tigers as they lost the last two ODIs, having already clinched the series in Harare.

In 2009, Zimbabwe, then under local coach Walter Chawaguta, were routed 4-1 by the Tigers in a five-match series, including losing a match in which hard-hitting Bulawayo boy Charles Coventry made an unbeaten 194 runs which equalled what was then the highest individual score by a batsman in an ODI. Pakistan batsman Saeed Anwar had set the record.

What even makes the coming of cricket to Bulawayo more exciting is the fact that it will be the first time ever that Queens Sports Club hosts international Twenty20 cricket with all previous matches in the shortest format of the game played in Harare at Harare Sports Club.

Vumindaba Moyo, the chairman of the Bulawayo Big Match Committee responsible for administration, welcomed the move to bring international cricket to Bulawayo. He said fans coming to watch the five matches, especially the Twenty20s, should expect an amazing event with lots of entertainment on and off the field.

“It is a good development to have international cricket in Bulawayo; the cricket loving fans in Bulawayo have always been starved of international cricket. We promise to make the Twenty20s a festive event, something that people will remember. people are hungry for international cricket and this is their chance. Everything on the administration side is going to be well-organised. I cannot speak for the team, I hope they do well,’’ said Moyo.

He revealed that they were impressed with the attendance for the 50-over final between Matabeleland Tuskers and Mashonaland Eagles and they were going to employ the same marketing strategy to get as many fans to come and watch the national team in action.

According to Moyo, his committee had recommended that the rest of the ground tickets go for $3 with the grandstand pegged at $5 to make sure that the stadium is packed.

Lanky fast bowler Christopher Mpofu, a popular figure with Bulawayo cricket supporters, is expected to feature prominently in both the Twenty20s and ODIs while Coventry could get a recall particularly for the Twenty20 matches. Craig Ervine, who turns out for Tuskers on the domestic front, is another player the local fans will be able to identify with.

Bangladesh land in Zimbabwe on 9 April with the first Twenty20 International set for Saturday, 13 April and the last match on the following day.

The ODIs are set for 17, 19 and 21 April with the two teams moving to Harare after that to slug it out in the two Test matches.

Having gone for more than a year without watching any international cricket action, cricket fans in Bulawayo must be salivating at the prospect of watching the national team in action and hopefully Brendan Taylor and the rest of the troops will not disappoint.

One thing for sure is that Bulawayo is going to be the centre of attraction for five days next month and it is up to the fans to make those five days count for they never know when next the city will get such an opportunity.

Zimbabwe v Bangladesh dates:

Sat, 13 April

13.30 local

1st T20I — Zimbabwe v Bangladesh

Queens Sports Club,

Sun, 14 April

13.30 local

2nd T20I — Zimbabwe v Bangladesh

Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo

Wed, 17 April

09.30 local

1st ODI — Zimbabwe v Bangladesh

Queens Sports Club,

Fri, 19 April

09.30 local

2nd ODI — Zimbabwe v Bangladesh

Queens Sports Club,

Sun, 21 April

09.30 local

3rd ODI — Zimbabwe v Bangladesh

Queens Sports Club,

Tue, 30 April — Sat, 4 May

10.00 local

1st Test — Zimbabwe v Bangladesh

Harare Sports Club

Wed, 8 May-Sun, 12 May

10.00 local

2nd Test — Zimbabwe v Bangladesh

Harare Sports Club.

Sunday News

9 March 2013

THE Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) is facing serious financial problems as Treasury has been reneging on paying for grade 7 examinations for the past three years forcing Zimsec to fund the examination and bleed its coffers in the process.

The precarious financial position has culminated in the failure by Zimsec to produce certificates in time, amid revelations that some companies and higher learning institutions in and outside the country were refusing to accept result slips for O and A-levels thereby disadvantaging many people who would have sat and passed their examinations.

In response to questions by the Sunday News, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart said the major challenges the education system was facing was the under-funding of operations within Zimsec and the delay in approving examination fees by Cabinet.

He said Zimsec was still awaiting the disbursement of the outstanding US$1,5 million for 2012 Grade 7 examinations whose results have long been released, adding that the country’s examination body was facing a financial crisis through no fault of its own. He highlighted though that Zimsec was expecting to receive the June and November 2011 certificates before the end of this term.

“The major challenge that the education system is facing from our perspective is the under-funding of operations within Zimsec. Government undertook to provide a grant to pay for Grade 7 examinations but Treasury has not released the full allocation for the last three years. Zimsec develops its budget and cost build-up on the basis of these promises but is left in the lurch when the grant does not materialise.

“Council is then forced to borrow money from other lines of expenditure to finance the Grade 7 examination to the detriment of these equally important exercises — capital projects and operations in general.

Minister Coltart said the prompt production of certificates was hampered by lack of foreign currency in years prior to the use of the United States dollar and clearing that backlog was made difficult by inadequate funding.

He said Zimsec had to use funds for current years to finance the purchase of 2007, 2008 and 2009 certificates.

In addition, he said, the certificates needed to have advanced security features embedded on them to thwart counterfeiters.

“The two-cycle examination sessions for O and A-level every year further exacerbated the printing and production of certificates, once the initial schedule is violated as happened during the difficult years of 2007, 2008 and 2009.  Catching up with the production of outstanding certificates requires additional financial resources which, unfortunately, have not been available to Zimsec in the recent past and current situation,’’ he said.

He implored Zimsec stakeholders to bear with it as it grapples with addressing the issue of outstanding certificates saying so far, the certificates for both June and November 2010 and prior years had been released to examination centres. He said Zimsec expected to receive the June and November 2011 certificates before the end of this term, adding that when the 2011 certificates were delivered and the funding was available, Zimsec would order certificates for the June 2012 examinations.

“With respect to funding, it is pertinent to note that Zimsec has used part of the 2012 Ordinary and Advanced Level funds to finance the 2012 Grade 7 examinations and is now awaiting the re-imbursement of this money from Treasury. Zimsec hopes to be abreast with the standard practice of producing certificates within 90 days of the release of results with the November 2012 results,’’ said Minister Coltart.

He said examination fees should always be approved towards the end of the year preceding the year they become due for collection.

This arrangement, he said, was made possible in 2011 for 2012 but unfortunately, was not repeated in 2012 for 2013 making planning extremely difficult.

The Sunday News

By Lulu Brenda Harris

9 March 2013

GOVERNMENT is extremely worried and alarmed by the intensifying “satanic’’ incidents taking place across the country’s schools and has opened urgent inquiry into these reports, warning whoever would be found perpetrating such acts in school premises would be thoroughly disciplined.

This past week has been rocked by reports from schools across the country — Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, Mashonaland East and Harare.

Schoolchildren have been fainting mysteriously, breaking into fits of hysteria while one schoolgirl woke up with her throat slashed and the latest incident saw some children growing fur and developing “vampire’’ teeth.

In an interview with Sunday News, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Senator David Coltart described these incidents as shocking and said his ministry was highly intolerant of such dreadful acts and was already jumping on the cases.

Sen Coltart said he learnt about such acts from the media and tasked the permanent secretary to urgently open an inquiry and investigate what was happening with immediate effect before it spread affecting all schools.

“I immediately contacted the permanent secretary in my ministry to investigate this issue without delay. As a ministry we learnt about this from the Press and we have to verify exactly what is going on,’’ he said.

The minister said the ministry did not take the satanism acts lightly, as they were affecting schoolchildren, scaring them in the process, consequently compromising education and security in the schools.

“Schools are a second home to the children. We are alarmed. It is disturbing, these are children,’’ he said.

Sen Coltart warned that whoever would be fingered or proven to have had a hand in such acts would be dealt with and disciplined because whatever the case this was causing pandemonium.

“Let me say this and repeat any elements promoting this type of acts would be disciplined.’’

The minister added that it was unfortunate the ministry or provincial education offices learnt about this from the media and it was difficult for officials to act as they had to establish first by themselves what actually took place before commenting because if they did without full facts, it would be premature.

Minister Coltart also said that the ministry had not made any consultations with religious groups because it still had to probe the incidents.

“That’s why we are opening a thorough investigation.  It all comes down to investigating the problem and see what we can do,’’ he said.

Parents are encouraged to seek an audience with the district education officers, who will then guide them to take the proper channel until the matter reaches the government, minister Coltart said.

He added that his ministry had an open door policy and was willing to work with parents to come up with a solution and stop “these unacceptable acts’’.

“Absolutely, parents can inform us about anything that might help. Let me emphasise the ministry does not tolerate any of this. It is totally against it,’’ he stressed.

In rural Hwange, 27 village heads reportedly petitioned the district education officer to remove the headmaster of Neshigwe Secondary school as he was suspected to be involved in satanic acts.

This was after a series of incidents in which girls went into a trance while others claimed to had seen an apparition of a senior member of staff clad in black garments and holding a bottle filed with blood.

In Bulawayo at Entumbane High, parents called an emergency meeting with residents after a number of pupils, mostly Forms 2 and 3 mysteriously collapsed during lessons.

It is reported that 80 students fainted while 100 others screamed hysterically.

A team was setup comprising residents, leaders, the school development committee and a local councillor to look into the issue.

At Nhowe Mission in Mashonaland East, a Form Three pupil was withdrawn from the school by her parents after her throat was mysteriously slashed and several of her dorm mates woke up in blood-stained blankets.

Mashonaland East Education director, Mr Sylvester Machaka, confirmed receiving a report from the school and said they had since set up a team to urgently look into the matter before it affected the whole school.

At Hartcliff 1 Primary school, Harare a teacher allegedly gave two pupils wristbands believed to be linked to satanism.

One pupil is said to have developed vampire teeth while the other grew fur on the skin.

The teacher was taken by the police while parents swarmed the school baying for his blood.

Last year, in Mufakose at Yamunarayi Primary School a class was tormented by invisible images believed to be linked to satanism.

In Lupane at Tshebetshebe Primary, the school was reportedly closed after teachers were tormented by goblins and deserted it.

At that time the ministry said it would not act until it received authentic reports from the parties involved or education officials.