After teachers at Ntenjane Primary School in Bulilima abandoned the learning institution following alleged attacks by goblins, the Government of Zimbabwe is now seeking help from sangomas (traditional healers) to bring sanity at the school.
Learning activities at the institution have since been brought to a halt following the exodus by teachers who give various narrations over the continued attacks by the goblins. In separate interviews, teachers at the learning institution said the attacks by the goblins were disturbing, saying they were not going to return back to the school.
But. Matabeleland South Acting Provincial Education Director, Lifias Masukume believes the issue of goblin attacks at Ntenjane could only be brought to an end by the envisaged engagement of traditional healers and leaders in the area. Masukume said his office has since instructed Bulilima District Schools Inspector Evelyn Ncube to engage the District Development Coordinator Nyasha Majonga and traditional leaders over the dreading matter
“This is a very difficult and sensitive matter. These issues of goblins cannot be proven scientifically, neither can they be dismissed. So, in order to protect the teachers and the pupils too, there is need to approach the matter carefully. I got a call with regards to the matter yesterday (Wednesday) that teachers are running away from school and I have since engaged the District Schools Inspector.
“I told her to get hold of the District Administrator so that they look for the traditional leaders who are the owners of the place, so that they can find traditional healers who will know how to appease the spirits or chase away whatever it is that is troubling teachers there,” said Masukume in an interview.
He also said this was not the first time that his office had received such reports.
“This is not the first time we have received such reports. Although outcomes have been different after investigations, we have dealt with a number of similar circumstances around different schools in the past. We had a similar story at Gohole School about goblins attacking teachers, more recently, there were reports at Minda School of unseen objects which were throwing stones into hostels. However, it later turned out in this particular case (Minda School) that it was naughty boys who were hurling stones at the girls’ dormitories,” he said.
Narrating their chilling ordeals, teachers who fled from the school following the attacks said they were not going to return back to Ntenjane School.
“I sleep on my bed daily; however, I wake up almost daily on the floor, with my blankets and everything. I have had enough of it. I asked my pastor to pray about it and it stopped for a while. It has started. There is no way I am going back. Public Service Commission will have to make a plan for us,” said one of the affected teachers who could not be named.
“It is sensitive, and we want to ensure that the workplace is a safe environment for all. We do not want a situation where we fail to address matters and no teacher wants to be deployed to a school. Hopefully this is addressed urgently and teachers can go back to their work stations.”
Added another:
“I wear my underwear when I sleep, but when I wake up, it is washed and is hung to dry on the washing line. It happened for two consecutive days and I told my husband about it. He came to pick me at school and scolded me for not telling him the first time it happened”.
State Media
