Govt. threatens to withdraw teachers at Shambala Primary School due to witchcraft in Itezhitezhi district

Govt. threatens to withdraw teachers at Shambala Primary School due to witchcraft in Itezhitezhi district

Itezhi Tezhi July 5, 2013,ZANIS—-  Government says  it will  no longer ignore the constant reports of witchcraft in Mbila Ward  in Itezhitezhi District.

Itezhi tezhi District Commissioner (DC), Roy Nang’alelwa says the development it is impacting negatively on government policy of providing education in rural parts of the country.

He said this after Teachers at  Shambala Primary School in  Chief Shezonngo’s area in Mbila ward  in Itezhi tezhi district in central province  say they are living in constant  fear  due to persistent  rampant witchcraft  and sexual molestation  at night.

The  witchcraft frenzy which has swept the predominantly maize farming area is reportedly impacting negatively on the learning process at the only school in the area.

The school is located in the remotest part of the district more than 100 kilometers from the district town centre.

Mr. Nang’alelwa says it was for this reason that made him to travel to the area on fact finding mission after consistent concerns by both pupils and teachers in the area.

“I’m here  due to numerous complaints of wizards who are reportedly abusing female teachers and leaving strange objects in classrooms and teachers houses” Mr.  Nang’alelwa said.

ZANIS reports from Itezhitezhi district that Mr. Nang’alelwa said.

He  said this was the third time of such reports of teachers witnessing mysterious events at their school.

He  said this actually confirms his predecessors reports as back as 2007 when the school was almost closed after all the teachers deserted the school over the same witchcraft harassment.

The district commissioner has since appealed to the community in Shambala area to stop harassing the teachers and pupils through witchcraft.

He said government has a duty to protect its employees and can close the school and take teachers elsewhere where they are need if teachers and pupils continues to live in fear because of witchcraft activities.

“We do not want to endanger the lives of our teachers and if the community does not change, we as government can close the school and take them to other schools where they are desperately needed.

“These schools have been built at a great cost to the government and government is still spending colossal sums of money to run them and pay teachers. We cannot just tolerate what is happing here” he said.

And an Acting Senior teacher interviewed in Shambala Mr. Ernest Hachungwe said the school risks closure because teachers at the learning institution were insecure due to continued reports of abuse of female teachers at night through witchcraft.

“Sometimes we wake up very tired as though you have been doing manual work and you literary fail to teach in class” Mr.  Hachungwe said.

He narrated that recently, one of the teacher found human blood sprinkled over his cooking pots and kitchen utensils at his home.

He said that this happened at night while he was asleep adding that he does not understand how it all happened because he had secured his house and locked it before retiring to bed.

He further said that the most recent incident happened a few weeks ago when they found a pool of human blood in one of the classrooms.

He said the happenings at the school are well known by the district education authorities but there has been no action to resolve them.

The DC has since promised the teachers that he will convene a meeting with all stakeholders to sort out the issue and has tasked the Parent’s Teachers Association (PTA) to educate the community about the evils of the witchcraft and the need to stop for the benefit of their children who want to learn.

Teachers at  Shambala Primary School in  Chief Shezonngo’s area in Mbila ward  in Itezhi tezhi district in central province  are living in constant  fear  due to persistent  rampant witchcraft  and sexual molestation  at night.

The  witchcraft frenzy which has swept the predominantly maize farming area is reportedly impacting negatively on the learning process at the only school in the area.

The school is located in the remotest part of the district more than 100 kilometers from the district town centre.