By A Correspondent- Fudu primary and secondary schools in Nkayi, Matabeleland North Province, have  been closed for three  weeks after teachers fled in terror when female teachers  woke up wearing their male counterparts’ trousers.

Goblins are said to be behind the bizarre incident which has disrupted public examinations at the institutions.

As if that was not enough, one  of the male teachers claimed that  whenever he was at the school grounds he would fall into a trance and see the shoes of a teacher who they suspected to have been killed by another teacher at the school.

He said since the last week of September they had faced a hellish time at the hands of the alleged spirit of the late teacher.

Now word doing the rounds is that the  spirit of the late is hovering at the school and tormenting teachers.

“ There are two teachers who  fought for the position of deputy head and subsequently one died mysteriously and we firmly believe that her spirit is the one that is hovering at the school and disrupting lessons,” he said.  

Speaking on condition of anonymity a female teacher  confirmed that she and her female  counterparts woke up wearing  trousers.

“I have not seen anything like that! It’s strange. Just imagine  about six of us strangely woke up wearing trousers of our male  colleagues,” said the female  teacher.

As a result teachers fled the school and pupils at both schools  have been left stranded.

A teacher said pupils who were sitting for examinations were affected.

“This thing has left pupils who are sitting for final public O-level  examinations greatly affected    because they have to walk more than 18 kilometres to Mpumelelo  High School where it has been arranged they sit for their examinations. 

“This has put the pupils’ preparations for end of year  examinations into disarray as it has disturbed their preparations and  it’s not known whether they will  write examinations or not,” said the teacher.      

Parents have been left worried  and with the aid of the local leadership have sought the  services of a witch-hunters. 

A villager from Ward 22, Robert Moyo, said each community member contributed $5 to pay the witch-hunters.

“The pupils who have been disturbed are from Ward 22 and Ward 23 and those wards have  more than 200 homesteads respectively. We divided ourselves into two groups. 

“Some slept at the  primary school while some slept at the secondary school. 

“We were  asked to sing for the whole night  and at around 3am they (witch-hunters) conducted cleansing  but they failed to get rid of the beings  which they claimed are goblins,” he said.

Village head Victor Mloyi said witch-hunters had failed to exorcise the school of the goblins.

“They have tried to root out the beings for a week but they  have failed. We are worried. After paying they tell us they cannot root it out. 

“Now we are want to engage Chief Sikhobokhobo to plan the way forward,” said Mloyi.

Provincial education director Matabeleland North province  Jabulani Mpofu confirmed the  incident: “I can confirm that   Fudu Primary School and Fudu  Secondary have been affected by beings suspected to be goblins.  The local leadership has engaged witch-hunters to exorcise the schools.”

He could not be drawn to explain how they would help pupils sitting for end of year examinations.

-StateMedia