Scores of parents of children learning at Sunningdale 1 Primary School in Harare early this week staged a demonstration against the school for demanding $35 from each pupil to replace stolen roof sheets.
By Ruvimbo Muchenje
The parents alleged that a member of the School Development Committee on Wednesday barred their children from entering the school gate unless they produced proof of payment for the missing sheets.
“We are here to defend our helpless children,” a parent, Learnmore Moyo, said.
Longina Mugadza, another parent, said the school had been missing a lot of things lately, but no investigations have been conducted.
“A water tank went missing, tablets for the children went missing, calculators, even bond paper, but there are no investigations. Instead, they want us to replace those things using our own money,” an irate Mugadza charged.
A teacher at the school, who refused to be named, blamed the security staff for the thefts.
“The headmaster confessed to having seen one of the guards holding the missing sheets, but he said he thought they were from next door. What I know is that if these guys are questioned thoroughly, they will lead us to their boss,” the teacher said.
The school head, Never Zviripi, said a security guard had already been arrested for stealing the roofing sheets and he appeared in court
yesterday.
He, however, refused to divulge more information, saying he was attending a conference out of Harare.
