The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
THE former headmaster of Tahangana High School has refused to undergo a psychiatric evaluation instructed by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education amid revelations that the Ministry has been facing difficulties redeploying him.
In a letter addressed to the Ministry, Plumtree Hospital District Medical Officer Dr Langalokusa Sibanda said Mr Norman Muvimi did not turn up for a mental examination that was scheduled at the hospital.
“This letter seeks to notify you that Mr Norman Muvimi didn’t turn up for his appointment for mental examination. This is in response to a notification from your Ministry which stated that he will be coming for examination,” said Dr Sibanda.
The Ministry recently ordered Mr Muvimi to undergo mental examination to check whether he is of sound mind after disturbances that were prevailing at Tahangana High were attributed to Mr Muvimi’s alleged mental instability.
He was recently transferred from the school on allegations of poor administration with parents complaining that it was causing a drop in the school’s pass rate among other things.
In an interview Mr Muvimi said he was not going to undergo the examination as he knew that he was mentally sound.
“I didn’t go for mental examination and I’m not going to go because I know that I am mentally sound. I was once accused of being crazy and the Ministry sent me for an examination and the results proved that I was fine.
“I’m just being harassed and punished for doing my work to the fullest of my capacity,” he said.
Meanwhile, education officials tried to deploy Mr Muvimi to Vaka Primary School in Mangwe District but faced resistance from parents who rejected the jingles headmaster because of his history of poor administration.
The councillor of Izimnyama Ward, Clr Sakhile Ndebele said educational officials recently visited Vaka Primary to announce Mr Muvimi’s deployment but parents objected.
“There was a meeting which was held by district education officials at Vaka Primary on closing day where they announced that Mr Muvimi was the school’s new head. Mr Muvimi was also present and ready to assume duty.
“However, parents refused to accept him because of reports on his poor administration. The parents who attended the meeting pointed out to Mangwe District School’s Inspector, Mr Danisa Nkomo that they would not accept the troublesome headmaster,” said Clr Ndebele.
She said Mr Nkomo had tried to convince parents during the meeting that Mr Muvimi would not repeat his mistakes.
She said parents were adamant that they do not want him.
Clr Ndebele said parents had received reports that Mr Muvimi had harassed and insulted teachers and parents at his previous schools.
Contacted for comment, Mr Nkomo said he could not confirm nor deny whether Mr Muvimi had undergone medical examination. He, however, said efforts were still underway to rectify the problem surrounding the jingles headmaster.
The Ministry removed Mr Muvimi from Tahangana High School after parents withdrew their children demanding his transfer.
Disgruntled parents blocked the school gates and ordered all children to return to their homes.
Mr Muvimi was moved to Tahangana High School at the beginning of the second term last year from Mambale High School following complaints from staff members.
He had allegedly composed 44 jingles which he was forcing teachers and pupils to recite each day “as a way of improving the school’s pass rate.”
A group of pupils from the school last year held a demonstration against him after he stopped them from attending a sporting event, despite having paid sports levy. The disgruntled pupils were also unhappy as they had been missing out on lessons while the headmaster allegedly held long meetings with teachers during lessons.
Teachers at the school also wrote a petition against him complaining that he was harsh.
