Story by Margaret Matibiri, Online Reporter
PRIVATE Catholic girls high school, Dominican Convent has been caught up in a drug abuse storm amidst reports that eight girls have been expelled from the school for allegedly peddling drugs.
One concerned parent took the matter to social media Wednesday night after attending a meeting at the school.
“Just coming from a parent’s meeting on drug usage and abuse at Dominican Convent High. My heart is bleeding. What do we do? Parents’ testimonies were heartbreaking, we are raising drug dealers and drug users and addicts unknowingly,” she claimed.
“Too much drug usage there, weed (marijuana), crystal meth and vape. The senior girls had camped at Troutbeck last week (Upper Six leadership camp) and some were caught red-handed using drugs. They were raided and a number of them had drugs packed in their belongings. The Headmistress demoted all prefects.”
The Head Of Upper School at Dominican Convent High School Sister Kudzai Mutsure has since issued a statement confirming the expulsion of the girls, indicating that they will receive rehabilitation.
“I write on a sad note to notify you that the eight girls we had put on suspension pending investigations on an incident that took place at the 2023 U6 leadership camp which was held in Nyanga from January 12 to 15 have been excluded from the school with immediate effect,” reads the statement by Sister Matsure.
“The disciplinary committee exercised all principles of procedural fairness and found the girls guilty of violating the school drug policy. Investigations are still ongoing and we will not hesitate to weed out any more culprits to sanitise the school space.”
Sister Matsure went on to take a dig at the parents whom she accused of being in denial regarding the problem.
“I believe that school officials’ efforts to protect students from the dangers of substance abuse are sometimes hampered by parents and community members in denial about the pervasiveness of the problem
and the potential for any child to succumb to the lure of drugs.”
UZ Lecturer Tapiwa Loveson Gopo, who is also a Seventh Day Adventist elder in charge of the drug abuse awareness and fight campaign, has called on parents to be vigilant.
“Drug abuse is real and parents need to be on the lookout. Check your children’s bags when they come from school and be on the lookout for any sudden change in behavior as this could be drug-induced,” he said.
“A lot of children as young as kindergarten age are being used to peddle drugs unknowingly as they can be used as couriers to penetrate obvious places to sell drugs on behalf of those selling drugs.”
Drug abuse has been a cause of concern in the country and an inter-ministerial task-force to combat drug abuse has since been set up in a bid to fight the scourge.
