GWANDA’s Sabiwa Primary School clinched Matabeleland South’s Jikinya championship title in a crunch competition held at Plumtree High School on Friday last week, but amid controversy.
DIVINE DUBE Own Correspondent
Some officials charged that the provincial competition seemed to have exposed the National Association of Primary School Heads (Naph) they accused of manipulating results in favour of the winning school — Sabiwa.
Tokwana Primary School, tipped to win the prestigious dance competition is said to have been deliberately sabotaged as a result of a longstanding wrangle with Naph officials over the remittance of the 25% prize money won by schools in various national competitions.
The Bulilima school which won the 2012 edition of the competition is said to have resisted remitting proceeds from their prize money citing constitutional discrepancies, a move which is said to have irked Naph officials.
Information obtained by Southern Eye Lifestyle yesterday indicated that positions were altered although Naph chairperson Elton Sinyosi claimed the error was typographical and was deliberated on by judges and resolved amicably.
“I know they have an issue with us as a school because we have never remitted proceeds from the prize money from the competition to them (Naph),” a Bulilima school official said on condition of anonymity.
Another concerned official said: “I cannot say much about the competition because results are at the discretion of adjudicators, but what I can say is that I am not happy at all.”
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But Sinyosi, Matabeleland South Naph chairperson, vehemently denied the allegations.
“Marks were not altered. That is not true!” Sinyosi fumed. “What was altered are positions and we rectified it with parties concerned.”
Asked about schools remittances to Naph he said: “There is utterly nothing like that!”
While Tokwana School seems to be the victim of the day, the Gwanda school will be smiling all the way to represent the province at the national finals next week .
They hope to prove the opposite to sceptics by putting up a spirited effort against nine contestants from the 12 provinces in the jerusarema mbede dance.
