A school headmaster is facing disciplinary action after he refused to accept a Form Four pupil's examination answer sheet because he ha...
A school headmaster is facing disciplinary action after he
refused to accept a Form Four pupil's examination answer sheet because he
had not paid the $5 transport fee.
The pupil Simbarashe Chibarinya Mupfururirwa Secondary
School in Chikomba District. confirmed that he took the answer sheet home after
the headmaster, Mr Patrick Kanda declined to take it to Chivhu for onward
transmission to Zimsec for marking.
“We were told the day before that each student was to bring
the money as transport fee. I was not the only person who failed to pay, and I
am still shocked as to why the headmaster targeted me among others. After the
exam, the invigilator — Ms Tsodzo — collected all other papers except mine.
“Mr Kanda then gave me a white envelope before telling me
that I was supposed to take the answer sheet to Zimsec myself because I had not
paid the transport fee. I put the script in the envelope and got out of the
classroom,” he told Newsday in an interview.
Simbarashe said, on his way home he met one of the
teachers, Madam Chigayo, who advised him to go and ‘sweet-talk’ the headmaster
to accept his script since it was illegal to take it home.
“I did exactly as what Madam Chigayo had told me, but the
headmaster refused again. I begged and even apologized to him if I had
misbehaved before, but he did not consider my plight. He bragged and told me
that he had already sealed the envelope. I went home with the script,” said
Simbarashe.
He said his father, John Chibarinya (48) looked for the
money and gave it to him, but the headmaster still refused to assist him
leaving him without an option but to report the matter to police.
“My father was shocked when I arrived home with the answer
sheet. He had no money with him, but he had to run around the village and came
back with it. I then took the script and the money to the headmaster,
surprisingly he received the money and shockingly refused to accept my answer
sheet saying that time had lapsed and he cannot accept it.
“I was given the receipt for paying the transport fee. I
returned home and told my father what had transpired, and he advised me to
report the matter to police, to which I did. I even told Mr Kanda about the
police report and he bragged saying that he did not care and he is
untouchable,” said Simbarashe.
The matter was reported at Masasa Police Station in Chivhu
who took the answer sheet before engaging the district education office. The
answer sheet was then handed over to the education inspector identified as
Emmanuel Kwenda.
Simbarashe’s father, a peasant farmer who supplements his
production through conducting odd jobs was at a loss of words.
Mashonaland East provincial education director Christopher
Chihota said Kanda erred in conducting his duties and would face disciplinary
action. He also castigated the school head for charging transport fees without
government approval.
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