GOVERNMENT
officials yesterday visited Chinatsa Secondary School in Marondera following reports that pupils absconded lessons after a lightning bolt struck and killed two pupils and injured 85 last Thursday.
SENIOR Government officials yesterday visited Chinatsa Secondary School in Marondera following reports that pupils absconded lessons after a lightning bolt struck and killed two pupils and injured 85 last Thursday.
The pupils were at assembly when the incident happened.
Pupils were no longer coming to school out of fear and shock.
Government has since deployed psychologists to the school to counsel pupi ls, teachers and parents.
A cleansing ceremony by churches and the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association has since been lined up.
Yesterday, Primary and Secondary Education deputy Minister Professor Paul Mavhima said he hoped lessons would resume today following Government intervention.
“Our school psychological department together with some social workers from the Ministry of Health and Child Care will continue to talk with the parents and the learners and we hope that as from tomorrow school sessions will start here.
“Our psychological service unit was already deployed here. Yesterday they were here and they will continue to do this in order to restore a normal working school,” said Professor Mavhima.
Prof Mavhima paid his condolences to families whose children were victims of the lightning bolt.
“The incident that took place here is a natural one that no man has control over.
“It can happen anywhere and to anyone but let us not worsen the situation which is already bad by complicating it. We need to take time and heal,” he said.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Permanent Secretary Dr Sylvia Utete-Masango said the 12 pupils were still admitted at Marondera General Hospital.
“We visited the 12 learners and the doctors said maybe half of them can be discharged by the end of this week.
“One of them does not have burns as such but she was saying she was unable to walk and she was readmitted yesterday. The doctors were saying there might be more of those students coming with similar problems.
“The hospital has also promised us that they will work with us, their clinical psychologists and their social welfare team will counsel the students even those who were not in hospital or not injured in any way,” she said.
Chief Svosve pledged to work closely with the school to ensure a cleansing ceremony is conducted in line with Shona culture.
“We will work together and cleanse the area in line with our culture but in ways that will not scare the pupils away. We want to make sure an incident like this does not happen again,” he said.
“We cannot abandon our school because of this unfortunate incident and we should work together and continue building our school.
“Pupils walk for distances as long 10km to attend Chinatsa Secondary School. It is the only secondary school in the area,” said Chief Svosve.
Government is paying all the medical bills for the victims.
It gave $200 to each family that lost a child from the incident as funeral assistance.