BULAWAYO — The hallowed halls of Founders High School, once celebrated as a beacon of academic excellence and a historic pioneer for education in Bulawayo, are today shrouded in a thick veil of scandal. What was meant to be a sanctuary for learning has instead become the backdrop for a harrowing tale of predatory behaviour and a devastating breach of trust that has left the institution reeling.
At the centre of this burgeoning storm is Obey Rwatiringa, a 40-year-old biology teacher whose professional life was dedicated to the study of living organisms, but who now stands accused of a far more sinister interaction with the life in his charge. Rwatiringa, a resident of the Barham Green suburb, recently appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mark Dzira, facing the gravest of allegations: the rape of a 17-year-old Form Six boarding pupil within the very walls of the school’s science laboratory.
The details emerging from the courtroom of Magistrate Dzira paint a chilling picture of a calculated approach. Prosecutor Hazel Ncube outlined a timeline that began not with violence, but with a mundane request that served as a precursor to a predatory pursuit. It is alleged that on an unknown date in early February 2026, Rwatiringa sent the young girl, a minor under the law, to purchase a pie for him. This seemingly innocent errand, the court heard, was merely the opening gambit.
Following this encounter, the accused allegedly began to “propose love” to the student. In a system that is supposed to protect the vulnerable, the girl did exactly what she had been taught to do: she sought help. The court was informed that the complainant reported the inappropriate advances to the school’s guidance and counselling teacher, Memory Ndumo. However, despite this early warning sign, the sequence of events moved inexorably toward a violent conclusion.
On 21 February 2026, the situation escalated from harassment to a physical assault. At approximately 11:00 AM, a time when the school should have been a hive of supervised activity, Rwatiringa allegedly summoned the girl to the science laboratory. The pretext was one that many students and parents would find unremarkable, even commendable: EXTRA LESSONS! It was under this guise of academic support that the alleged trap was sprung.
The prosecution’s account of what transpired after the lesson is visceral. It is alleged that Rwatiringa grabbed the girl by her left hand, forcibly removed her undergarments, and lifted her onto a chair. Despite her screams and desperate attempts to resist, the 17-year-old was reportedly overpowered by the 40-year-old man. The court heard that Rwatiringa then forcibly had sexual intercourse with the complainant once, without her consent and without the use of any protection.
The aftermath of the incident saw the girl report the matter, leading to the swift arrest of the biology teacher. In court, Rwatiringa, represented by Tinashe Runganga of Tanaka Law Chambers, was not asked to plead. Magistrate Dzira remanded him in custody until 4 March 2026, when he is expected to return for trial.
For Founders High School, this incident is not merely an isolated tragedy but a painful reopening of old wounds. Established in January 1952 as Southern Rhodesia’s first secondary school for Coloured and Asian students, the institution has long fought to maintain its reputation as a “powerhouse of academic excellence.” Yet, this is not the first time the school has been “sucked in” by scandals involving its staff.
In 2017, the school was rocked by a pregnancy scandal that saw three teachers placed under investigation. At that time, a whistleblower’s report to the Bulawayo provincial education offices triggered a probe that eventually confirmed multiple cases of student pregnancies, some involving boarders. The then-investigation concluded that the school’s internal controls had failed to safeguard the moral and physical wellbeing of the pupils.
The current case against Rwatiringa arrives at a time when Zimbabwe is grappling with a documented surge in sexual violence within its educational system.
Recent statistics from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, supported by reports from organizations like Childline Zimbabwe, indicate that nearly 60 per cent of reported abuse cases involve adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19.
A 2025 humanitarian report highlighted that while the government has launched anti-sexual harassment policies, the “lean season” of school safety remains a critical concern, with 15,000 cases of abuse reported annually nationwide.
Meanwhile, at Morgan Zintec College, a lecturer allegedly fled the country after being linked to similar misconduct. These incidents, occurring in rapid succession, suggest a systemic failure in the vetting and monitoring of those entrusted with the care of the nation’s youth.
The psychological toll on the victims is immense. Research published in ScienceDirect in late 2025 noted that sexual abuse in schools leads to chronic anxiety, absenteeism, and a complete disengagement from the academic environment. For a Form Six student, currently in her final year of secondary education, the impact of such a betrayal by a teacher—a figure of authority and mentorship—cannot be overstated.
As the legal proceedings against Obey Rwatiringa continue, the Bulawayo community is left to ask difficult questions. How did a report of inappropriate advances to a guidance teacher fail to prevent a physical assault? Why was a male teacher allowed to conduct “extra lessons” alone with a female student in a secluded laboratory?
The clang of the prison doors behind Rwatiringa as he was led away to remand serves as a temporary reprieve, but for the students of Founders High, the sense of security has been shattered. The school, which recently boasted of its 41.5 per cent O-level pass rate and its status as a “beacon of excellence,” must now face the reality that its greatest failure was not in the classroom, but in its duty of care.
The case of the biology teacher and the pupil in the science lab is a grim reminder that predators often hide in plain sight, using the very tools of education—lessons, mentorship, and authority—to mask their intentions. As Zimbabwe moves toward stricter enforcement of its National Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence (2023–2030), the outcome of Rwatiringa’s trial will be closely watched by parents, educators, and activists alike.
For now, the science laboratory at Founders High stands silent, a crime scene where the study of life was allegedly replaced by an act that has forever altered the life of a young woman. The trial, set to begin in March, will determine whether justice can be served for a student who sought an education but found herself a victim of a teacher’s darkest impulses.
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