PUPIL BURNS TOXIC SUBSTANCE IN REVENGE, SCHOOL CLOSED

MANZINI – Pupils collapsed and had to be rushed to hospital after one of their own ‘burnt’ a substance that emitted toxic fumes in an act of vengeance.

This happened at Mshengu High School at Mashobeni, Nhlangano in the Shiselweni Region, last Friday and further resulted in the indefinite closure of the school. It has been gathered that the substance that had toxic fumes permeating the air was burnt by a pupil who was seeking vengeance against a certain teacher who later received death threats. However, the learner’s ‘vengeance’ affected not only the teacher, but his schoolmates and asthmatic pupils, who in turn had to be rushed to the Nhlangano Health Centre. This is one of a sequence of events that resulted in the indefinite closure of the school.

Fight

According to a source close to the matter, it all started last Thursday after one of the teachers at the school was allegedly involved in a fist fight with a pupil. After the physical altercation, the source alleged that the pupil and some of his schoolmates supposedly felt that the educator was offside and wanted vengeance. He claimed that it was during the lunch-break last Thursday when one of the new teachers at the school supposedly requested one of the pupils to dish food for him. However, it was alleged that a group of male pupils jokingly poked fun at the pupil for the request.

Thereafter, the source claimed that the teacher reported the matter to his equals and asked them to discipline the boys on his behalf. He purported that the teachers called the pupils and questioned them about their conduct, however, one of the pupils allegedly resisted and one of the educators drew closer to him. “They exchanged words and started fighting,” the source said. After that, he said the implicated pupil went home and came back with his parent. The source, whose identity remains withheld for fear of victimisation, said the matter was deliberated upon in the head teacher’s office and the pupil went back to class the following day; Friday. He claimed that some of his schoolmates said if he was expelled from the school, they would protest.

Later on the day (Friday), the source said a cloud of toxic fumes came from the rubbish pit and it affected a number of pupils, mainly from Form I class and some of the teachers. He said the situation was bad as some pupils, especially those who were asthmatic, collapsed as the smoke suffocated them. “It made breathing difficult,” he said. According to the source, some of the educators and learners suspected that the fumes were tear gas, based on the effects, as it made them cry and experience difficulties in breathing. As a result, he said a number of the pupils were rushed to Mashobeni Clinic and due to the seriousness of the effects of the toxic fumes; some were taken to Nhlangano Health Centre, where they were treated and discharged later on the day.

Disturbed

On Monday, the following week, operations were not disturbed at the school even though there was a bit of tension among the pupils.
However, the source said on Tuesday, a teacher discovered that the chalkboard in a Form I class had death threats inscribed with the name of the teacher who was allegedly involved in a fist fight with the pupil.  “On the chalkboard, it was written; ‘Rest in peace (surname of the teacher)’,” the source said.

Following this discovery, he said teaching and learning did not take place as teachers went to a meeting with the schools’ administrators. After that, he said the administration informed them that the school had been closed until further notice. He said the administration was told the reason for the closure of the school was unruly behaviour by some of the pupils. He added that they also told them to invite their parents to a teachers/parents meeting, which would be held today. Meanwhile, Mshengu High School Head teacher Kenneth Simelane, confirmed that there were incidents which took place at the school, which led to its indefinite closure on Tuesday. He said last Friday, while he was on his way to the Examinations Council of Eswatini (ECESWA), he received a call from his deputy, who informed him that there was a situation at the school. He said the deputy head teacher told him that there were fumes which were coming from the rubbish pit and it was affecting pupils and teachers.

“I called the police from Mashobeni Police Post and reported the matter,” the head teacher said. Simelane said on Monday, he had a meeting with his deputy and he narrated what happened. He said while investigating the pupils, one of them alleged that he intentionally burnt a bag full of chilli pepper. Thereafter, he said the pupil was summoned to Mashobeni Police Post and asked to bring with him his parent. He said information he got from the police was that the pupil also told them that he burnt a bag with chilli pepper. “However, when we investigated the matter within the school, the teachers were of the view that the fumes were not of chilli pepper. So, we are still not sure what the pupils used and investigations are still ongoing,” said the source.

Shocking

The head teacher, Simelane, said one of the teachers made a shocking discovery - death threats to one of the educators, which were written on the chalkboard in a Form I class. He said the matter was reported to his office and the teachers asked for a meeting, where they raised their concerns about the behaviour of some of the pupils. “They said they cannot go to class as the pupils had become unruly and they were calling them names,” the head teacher said. He added that when they investigated the matter, a pupil confessed to have written the death threats and stated that he had a gripe with the teacher as at one point, he gave him low marks which did not belong to him. Again, the head teacher said the matter was still being investigated and that they would have a teachers/parents meeting today. He said the reopening of the school would be deliberated during the meeting.

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