A HARARE headmaster on Thursday exchanged blows with parents in a row over school fees.
Wadzanai Primary School Headmaster Peter Saunyama was
arrested for fondling and beating up a female parent in Kambuzuma, a feat he
said was in self-defence as the parents were heavily descending on him.
Charges were withdrawn from police after Saunyama was also
reported to have beaten another parent with a broom stick leading to his
arrest.
Some of the parents and school children booed Saunyama as
police led him to a police post where statements were recorded and later
released after one of his victims withdrew the charges.
Saunyama told H-Metro that the parents turned violent that
he was left with no option other than defending himself.
“Headmaster vatanga kuti murivana vadiki saka vamwe mai
vabva vati handisi mwana mudiki nekuti ndave nemwana wamuri kudzidzisa,” she
said.
“Head vabva vati budai muno ndisati ndakupwanyai pwanyai
ndipo pavabva vatora broom stick kwava kundirova naro kaviri paruwoko rwangu
rukazvimba.
“Police officer asked me to go for medical report and that
will cost me money so I decided to withdraw the charges against the headmaster
since I want him to give us our school fees he used,” said the victim.
Another victim who claimed to have been fondled on her
breasts did not lodge a police report against Saunyama arguing that they fought
and her fears were to be fined over the assault.
“Headmaster vandibata zamu rangu asi handina kuisa nyaya
kumapurisa nekuti tarwa mu office mavo saka handina mari yekubhadhara fine
yacho,” she said.
“Parents besieged my office demanding receipts for the
payment they made to me during lock down,” said Saunyama.
“They hurled harsh words and were all over my office
destroying mud cups and other items.
“Ndatsamwa ndikabva ndasundira mumwe wacho uko ndikatora
broom stick ndokumurova ndakuedza kuzvi defender. My shirt was torn in the
scuffle and my two cellphones nearly got destroyed.
“It is true that I have been receiving money in foreign
currency and Ecocash from parents since our front office workers were on
lockdown.
“I had to use some of my personal funds in making sure the
school does not go down and I have been at this school since 1991.
“We ran out of receipt books that is why I decided to stamp
cut out papers as proof of payment and this week I was expecting to hand over
the money to our treasurer since I have names of all those who paid to me.
“My purpose is to develop the school and the children and
our pass rate is at 71 percent to show that we discharge our duties well.
“We have the chairperson and treasurer to help us in booking all the payments done when I was running the school during the lockdown when most of our front office staffers were not coming.
“We recorded everything in our clock in and out books and
no child will be sent away until we have all our books and receipt books in
order.
“Parents rose against me for some reason. I want to believe
this is coming from those who want me removed because some are against my
presence here since 1991,” said Saunyama.
A Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education official only
identified as Nyambuya cooled tempers of the disgruntled parents promising them
to look into the issue.
“We have heard your issues and noted them down and I will
meet the headmaster and see way forward and make sure every dollar is accounted
for,” said Nyambuya. H Metro
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