Sunday Mail Reporter
Irate parents have twice forced the temporary closure of Nyamakate Primary School in Hurungwe in protest against the zero percent pass rate the school recorded last year.

This was disclosed by Education, Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Senator David Coltart in Parliament last week as he responded to a question from Masvingo Central legislator Mr Jefferyson Chitando (MDC-T) on the fate of two teachers who were in charge of the classes that failed to produce a single student who passed the grade seven examinations.
“The (first) closure took place on the 17th of January 2012 and then on the 8th of May 2012 during the first and second terms respectively,” he said.

“Relations between two teachers Ms Farai Kaitano EC No. 0815521K and Simon Mupfurutsa EC No. 0856402W and the community of Nyamakate Primary School soured when allegedly these two teachers taught two Grade 7 classes at the school.
“What I am informed is that the two teachers in question requested to teach during school holidays and requested parents to pay them an incentive for extra work.

“The parents agreed and made the payments but when the Grade 7 papers were written and the results published, both classes I am told scored zero percent pass rate. This angered the parents leading to a serious deterioration in relations.”
Minister Coltart disclosed that Government initially suspended the teachers but lifted the suspension at the beginning of the current school term, in a move that did not go down well with the parents.

“When the two teachers resumed duty on the opening day on the 8th of May 2012, parents were outraged and again protested.
“They locked the Head’s offices as well as the classrooms demanding that the two teachers should leave the school.

“The two teachers were suspended again on the 30th of May 2012 to facilitate investigations which are ongoing. I would like to commend the parents for not issuing any physical threats to the teachers and I want to assure them that the due process of law will be followed in the best interest of the children at the school,” he said.