Gibson Mhaka
TEACHERS are meant to be people that children look up to.
And schools are meant to be places of learning.
Nyamandlovu Primary School has been hit with what has become the latest violent incident of child abuse after a Grade Seven learner developed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder after he was allegedly brutally and repeatedly assaulted on the head with a switch by his teacher as punishment for making noise.
After the attack, and according to a medical report, the 12-year-old pupil sustained bruises on the scalp, had swollen eyes and the injuries were described as “very serious”.
The teacher, Victoria Vambe, allegedly struck the pupil several times with a switch on the head on 25 February this year. The pupil reportedly sustained bruises on the head as a result of the assault.
The father of the child is now demanding justice after evidence of plans, by the parties involved in handling the matter, to sweep it under the carpet despite the fact there is a medical report showing that the pupil suffered severe injuries as a result of the alleged attack.
The matter was reported at Nyamandlovu Police Station on 25 February under case number CR01/ 03/ 19 and its wheels are still sticking, much to the chagrin of the boys’ parents.
Speaking to B-Metro, the boy’s father Itai Muzambwe fumed saying he was not happy with the way the matter was being handled both by the police and District Schools Inspector (DSI).
“On the day in question my son came home bleeding and told me he was beaten by the teacher. He said the teacher repeatedly struck him with a switch leaving him with wounds on his head. He felt dizzy after the attack. When we took him to hospital the doctor who attended to him said he suffered severe injuries on the head.
“As a result of the attack, my son is also now experiencing some strange exhibitions like jerking movements after every 10-15 seconds; signs which I suspect are symptoms of a seizure. He is also now appearing confused and that abnormal condition started after the attack by the teacher. I don’t understand why the teacher was so brutal,” said Muzambwe.
He said when he went to the school they were unremorseful and instead of apologising they immediately called the police who came and threatened him.
“After my son was discharged from Mpilo Hospital, I took him to the school so that they could see the damage the teacher had caused to him. Instead of apologising they called the police who came and threatened me with unspecified action.
“One of the senior police officers (name supplied) threatened me saying he will make things hard for me if I pursued the matter. The threat is a clear indication of why there is no progress on the case I reported two months earlier,” said Muzambwe.
The boy also confirmed the incident saying the teacher in question brutally assaulted him with a switch as punishment for making noise.
“My sin was that I was making noise. But I was not even the one who was making noise. It was my friend and the teacher ignored my claim saying I was the one and my classmates can attest to this,” he said with tears streaming down his face.
Muzambwe corroborated the boy’s sentiments saying the teacher had also shown no remorse for attacking his son.
“Just imagine instead of apologising for what she did to my son she proceeded to file false charges of assault against me. What happened is that on 27 February I met her at the district
education offices along Joshua
Mqabuko Nkomo Street between 8th and Leopold Takawaira avenues where I was making a follow-up of the case from the District Schools Inspector. We met at the entrance and when I asked her why she assaulted my son she ran away claiming I wanted to assault her.
“I was then surprised when I was summoned by the police two days later saying she had filed an assault charge against me. The counter charge is just a way of stopping me from pursuing my son’s case. I am really shocked why her case was quickly dealt with by the police yet that of my son is still gathering dust at the (Nyamandlovu) police station,” queried Muzambwe insisting that justice must prevail.
He said the DSI who handled the case was also not forthcoming adding that she was showing attempts to protect the teacher from facing the full wrath of the law.
Vambe declined comment saying all questions pertaining to the incident should be addressed to either the DSI or Matabeleland North provincial education director.
She filed her charge under case number 368/03/19 and the matter is now before the Bulawayo magistrates’ courts housed at Tredgold Building.
Matabeleland North deputy director responsible for primary education, Mrs Beatrice Manjere confirmed the incident but said investigations by the DSI revealed that the incident never happened.
“Investigations by the District Schools Inspector who went to the school revealed that the teacher did not beat up the child as alleged by the parent,” said Manjere.
Asked if she was aware of the medical report which is also in possession of this publication which shows that the child indeed suffered severe head injuries as a result of the alleged attack by the teacher Manjere said: “If the parents are still aggrieved they are free to approach our provincial offices for further investigations”.
Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Inspector Siphiwe Makonese said she was going to find out what could have delayed the investigation of the matter.
Ends.
