The ManicaPost
Sharon Chigeza Weekender Reporter
Marange community was plunged into shock and anguish after a 16-year old girl took her life following incessant bullying by schoolmates at the Catholic-run St Andrew’s Mweya Mutsvene High School. Chantell Tarasana (16), a Form Four student at the school, consumed a poisonous substance last Friday and died upon admission at Mutare Provincial Hospital.
Although provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa could not comment on the incident, provincial education director, Mr Edward Shumba confirmed the death of the student.
“I have just been briefed on the incident of a student who committed suicide at the school due to bullying and I am yet to receive a written report,” he said.
Chantell consumed a pesticide to end her life after facing incessant bullying by school mates over a mobile phone she had allegedly stolen. A teacher at the school, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing protocol, said the girl had stolen a mobile phone from a school mate and the gadget had been recovered, which led her being incessantly teased by her schoolmates.
“Bullying over the mobile phone issue however, continued within the circle of the deceased’s peers and the school authorities never got a report of the case until the suicide incident occurred last Friday,” the teacher said.
The girl was immediately ferried to Mutare Provincial Hospital after she consumed the poisonous substance where she died upon admission. The school head could not comment on the issue also citing protocol and referred all question to the Ministry of Education provincial offices.
Chantell was buried in Chihota on Sunday and in attendance were her relatives, schoolmates and St Andrew’s Mweya Mutsvene High School members of staff. The recent suicide incident comes three years after similar suicide incidents occurred at the same school.
One involved a teacher, Tawanda Mundondo (34) who allegedly took poison and died on admission at Mutare Provincial Hospital on July 29, 2015 and the other five days later involving a Form Three female student, Daisy Mutandwa (15) who threw herself into a disused well in August 2015.
