Harare – Rivendale School, a private college nestled in Domboshava, finds itself at the centre of a storm as its headmaster, Tofara Chitsveto, faces allegations of propositioning students for romantic relationships.
The shocking claims, made during a Harare Civil Court hearing, have cast a dark shadow over the institution and raised serious concerns about the safety and well-being of its students.
Chitsveto’s startling admissions left magistrate Meenal Naratom visibly stunned, even prompting her to question his sobriety at one point. The headmaster’s troubles began when he sought a protection order against Sibongile Mavingire, a teacher at the school and his former colleague, claiming she had assaulted him in front of the students.
While the protection order was ultimately granted, it was the details that emerged during the proceedings that have truly captured public attention.
Chitsveto stated: “We are former teachers and we decided to start a school, and I am the headmaster. My colleague assaulted me over rumours she heard that l am dating one of the students yet l only proposed love but never dated the students. Sibongile is tarnishing my image, which is hurting me and l no longer want her at my school. I will repay her all the money that she contributed when we started the school. It’s better for me to run the school alone than to run it with teachers who disrespect me to the extent of assaulting me in front of the children. She calls me a drunkard and useless.”
However, Sibongile presented a vastly different account of events, alleging that Chitsveto had made unwanted advances towards numerous students.
“I am the one in charge of guidance and counselling and as l was interacting with the children, they told me how the headmaster was sexually harassing them. Trying to inquire from them, l found out that he once dated a student. The worst nightmare was that he was tarnishing another student’s reputation because she turned down his proposal. One of the students was traumatised by Tofa, accusing her of committing a series of abortions simply because she turned down his proposal,” she said.
Sibongile’s claims paint a disturbing picture of a headmaster abusing his position of power and creating a hostile environment for students. She further alleged that approximately half of the student body had received romantic proposals from Chitsveto.
The situation escalated when Chitsveto reportedly removed Sibongile and another teacher from the school’s communication channels and began sending messages to parents that humiliated them.
Sibongile pleaded with the magistrate not to grant Chitsveto the protection order, arguing that he intended to use it to his advantage and to sabotage her and the other teacher.
“Do not grant him the protection order because he wants to use it for his own advantage and sabotage us. This man is hungry for power, he does not want us to fight for the students’ rights, yet he is abusing them. We started this school together and we will end it together.”
The allegations against Chitsveto have prompted widespread condemnation and calls for a thorough investigation. Parents and guardians are understandably concerned about the safety and well-being of their children at Rivendale School.
The Ministry of Education has yet to comment on the matter, but it is expected that they will launch an inquiry into the allegations and take appropriate action to ensure the protection of students.
The future of Rivendale School hangs in the balance as the scandal continues to unfold. The reputation of the institution has been severely damaged, and it remains to be seen whether it can recover from the fallout.
For now, the focus remains on ensuring the safety and well-being of the students and uncovering the truth behind the disturbing allegations against Headmaster Tofara Chitsveto.
