A massive sex scandal has hit elite boarding school Barwick Primary following allegations that pupils have become victims of sexual harassment by male staffers.
Several allegations have been raised by pupils at the school amidst fears that the worse could be happening to the minor pupils admitted at the boarding facility.
Alleged reports of sexual harassment of four pupils by one teacher identified only as Mafanya wreaked havoc at the school on Tuesday as parents drove all the way to Concession in the dead of the night.
Parents dressed in their sleeping gear were to be found at the premises demanding entrance into the hostels so they could take their children home for fear that they could have been victimised.
Mafanya who is now believed to be on the run is alleged to have been inserting his fingers in the minors’ private parts and molesting them regardless of the fact that his wife is also employed as a teacher at the same school.
Reports are to the effect that this incident is not a first as there have been many others of a similar nature involving pupils who have long since departed from the school and no legal action or criminal charges have been preferred for any of the alleged perpetrators.
It is alleged that the former headmaster was fired after it was discovered that he was having a sexual relationship with a grade seven pupil and no legal action was also taken against him except the termination of his contract and he walked away scot-free with a clean criminal record.
During a meeting convened by the board of governors on Wednesday, many other cases alleged sexual assault reports were raised ranging from sodomy on a grade four pupil, exposure to pornographic material by one computer teacher to grade three pupils, availing of morning after tablets (contraceptive) to pupils believed to have been raped and molestation of grade three pupils by caretakers.
It is alleged that the acting headmistress at the school was sitting on written reports that were submitted by the affected minors about two weeks ago.
Of the four victimized girls, two were new students who had just been enrolled at the school this term.
The school, however, made no formal report to the police on the issues raised and it was only after one parent of an affected child made the report on Tuesday that the police was involved and the school was making no initiatives of reporting the matter and they seemed reluctant to assist the police raising suspicions of a possible syndicate of a paedophile gang running the school or even cultist related to abuse of children.
The school's board of governors on Tuesday invited parents of the four affected children in the matter of Mafanya to what was intended to be a closed-door meeting open for only two guardians per each pupil.
In a rushed and obviously not well thought out memorandum riddled with errors dated July 15, the board of governors chair Lyndon Nkomo advised parents of the developments.
“The board was advised of allegations pertaining to one teacher who was to have inappropriately touched four female learners. The report and the letters of complaint from the children were received last Friday, 26 July 2019,” it read.
“After consultations with all governors, the chairman and the board of governors directed the acting headmistress to suspend the teacher concerned and order him to vacate the school premises with immediate effect,” the letter read, leaving a lot to be desired about the board's efforts at seeking justice for the children.
The meeting was convened in a very heated environment as the board seemed to have an agenda to protect the school and its employees rather than protecting the minor children and wanting the best results possible of seeing perpetrators answerable to their crimes.
It was however suggested that all the staff at the school be investigated and the board of governors be dissolved as it failed to have the interests of the pupils at heart.
Barwick is one of the most expensive private schools in the country where children are admitted with the hope that they will be safe as they learn away from home and away from the usual family setup.
It is alleged that the acting headmistress at the school was sitting on written reports that were submitted by the affected minors about two weeks ago.
Of the four victimized girls, two were new students who had just been enrolled at the school this term.
The school, however, made no formal report to the police on the issues raised and it was only after one parent of an affected child made the report on Tuesday that the police was involved and the school was making no initiatives of reporting the matter and they seemed reluctant to assist the police raising suspicions of a possible syndicate of a paedophile gang running the school or even cultist related to abuse of children.
The school's board of governors on Tuesday invited parents of the four affected children in the matter of Mafanya to what was intended to be a closed-door meeting open for only two guardians per each pupil.
In a rushed and obviously not well thought out memorandum riddled with errors dated July 15, the board of governors chair Lyndon Nkomo advised parents of the developments.
“The board was advised of allegations pertaining to one teacher who was to have inappropriately touched four female learners. The report and the letters of complaint from the children were received last Friday, 26 July 2019,” it read.
“After consultations with all governors, the chairman and the board of governors directed the acting headmistress to suspend the teacher concerned and order him to vacate the school premises with immediate effect,” the letter read, leaving a lot to be desired about the board's efforts at seeking justice for the children.
The meeting was convened in a very heated environment as the board seemed to have an agenda to protect the school and its employees rather than protecting the minor children and wanting the best results possible of seeing perpetrators answerable to their crimes.
It was however suggested that all the staff at the school be investigated and the board of governors be dissolved as it failed to have the interests of the pupils at heart.
Barwick is one of the most expensive private schools in the country where children are admitted with the hope that they will be safe as they learn away from home and away from the usual family setup.
.jpg "Sona Solar Zimbabwe")
.jpg "Sona Solar Zimbabwe")
