William Ncube who is the headmaster of Magwegwe High School in Bulawayo is being investigated by the he Ministry of Primary and secondary Education for allegedly banning the singing of Shona songs at his school.
Bulawayo Acting Provincial Education Director Mrs Olicah Khaira confirmed the development which comes after an open letter, purportedly written by pupils at the school, urged Ncube to stop being tribalist. The letter states that the headmaster said he will be in trouble with the PED if pupils were allowed to sing Shona songs. Part of the letter reads:
On behalf of the Magwegwe High School students, we are against the decision by our headmaster to bar the singing of Shona songs at our school. As students we say no to tribalism and any form of violence. Whatever happened in the past must not include us as the so called born frees. We will not be used to settle past differences. We cannot be used in conflicts or fighting each other. We believe in unity and nothing else.
What surprised us the most was the fact that he told the SDC chairman that if the PED gets the news that we were singing Shona songs, the school was going to be charged. (Khumalo, uPED engezwa kuthiwa kuhlatshelwa ingoma zale lapha kuyabuya incwadi engaka). Is it true that our PED has stopped the singing of Shona songs at all schools in Matabeleland?
Teachers who spoke to The Chronicle confirmed the the Shona language ban while some pupils said senior pupils at the school were assisted by disgruntled teachers to pen the letter of complaint.
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