Government has ordered Mukaro High School pupils to return to school with immediate effect and resume classes upon arrival.
This follows the closure of the Roman Catholic-run boarding school on May 24 this year by the church in protest over the continued presence of two teachers who successfully applied for a court interdict to stop their transfer.
Speaking at a Press conference yesterday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora said the ministry regarded the interests of learners as central to its mandate.
Dr Dokora said he met with Mukaro High School authorities and the Masvingo Provincial Education Directorate and resolved that normalcy should be restored at the school.
“The purpose of the meeting was to facilitate the resumption of classes in terms of the Education Act and restore normalcy in the interest of the learners,” said Dr Dokora.
“It was resolved that the issue of the teaching personnel is a matter of central Government as the employer and can be dealt with by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in accordance with appropriate regulations,” said Dr Dokora.
The church sought to transfer the two male teachers, Martin Matenhere and Musana Chirikure from Mukaro after they were accused of masterminding a crippling strike that saw pupils walking for over 15km to the Gutu District Education offices in 2012.
The pupils were protesting poor living conditions and only returned to the institution after assurances from the Catholic Church that their grievances would be addressed.
However, after normalcy had returned to the school, the church allegedly tried to force the transfer of the pair.
The two teachers successfully applied for a High Court order arguing they were being unjustifiably victimised for a crime they did not commit.
Roman Catholic Masvingo Diocese vicar general Father Walter Nyatsanza then visited the school to announce its closure.-state media