Ministry acts on Umzingwane High head issue

THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is looking at transferring Umzingwane High School head, Mr Moroka Magaya, after parents approached the ministry alleging that there was gross mismanagement of the once revered school.

Parents, a couple of weeks ago converged on the school baying for Mr Magaya’s blood alleging that he was running down the boys’ school and was steering it to a situation where it is now a pale shadow of its former self. The parents demanded that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education institute a forensic audit of the school finances. They were further demanding that Mr Magaya be immediately transferred from the school.

Matabeleland South provincial education director, Mr Lifias Masukume while not confirming or denying the transfer listing of Mr Magaya said his office had completed all the necessary investigations as guided by the allegations raised by the parents.

“All I can say for now is that we have resolved the matter. We carried out an audit of the school’s finances and also a schools’ inspection team visited the school, both reports were submitted to my office and were used to determine the next step. As it stands, I can assure you that come next term there will be much difference at the school. We have pretty much adhered to the parent’s demands,” said Mr Masukume.

A source in the ministry, however, revealed that the two reports from the audit team and the schools’ inspection were so damning that the PED’s office had to recommend transfer listing Mr Magaya.

“It is highly likely that he will be transferred to another school. The ministry officials were especially shocked by what they discovered because previously Mr Magaya has been vehemently defending himself,” said the source.

According to the letter from parents exposing Mr Magaya’s conduct parents alleged that over the past two years the school negatively dropped in academic performance.

“Learners in the year 2019 have complained of being poorly fed in the school’s dining hall yet parents buy groceries as demanded by the school. The headmaster, surprisingly to all parents who buy these groceries, has not given any explanation regarding this situation of poor feeding.

“School authorities, that is the School Development Committee, have attributed the occurrence of poor feeding to failure by some parents to honour buying groceries and paying school fees, but none of them, including the school on the headmaster’s initiative, have made available any lists of learners who are in arrears. Again, the school head has remained tight-lipped regarding this issue.

“There is also the troubling issue of Mathematics subject recording zero percent pass rate yet the headmaster has remained mute about how to fix this issue. At some point last year (2019) the pupils decided to engage in a mini demonstration as a result of their grievances.

“What makes parents even more concerned is that all these issues are happening right under the nose of the headmaster, for instance, one child lost his life as a result of bullying at the school, and another child got severely injured because of bullying again and there was no effort to immediately communicate the incident to the parent of the injured boy,” reads the letter.

Umzingwane Member of Parliament Retired Brigadier-General Levi Mayihlome who visited the school recently following the allegations raised by the parents, commended the steps being taken by the ministry officials to resolve the matter.

“I have been also engaging the ministry with the hope that they can intervene and help proffer a solution,” said Rtd Brig-Gen Mayihlome.

The headmaster said while he was not aware of the developments, he was not allowed to talk to the media, referring this reporter to the ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.