A teacher at Mushavhi Secondary School in Bikita has sparked outrage among parents and students after allegedly collecting saliva samples from an entire class of learners during a lesson. The incident has raised concerns about the teacher’s unconventional teaching methods and potential health and safety implications.

According to students, the teacher started the lesson by discussing self-preservation and self-control, particularly for girls, emphasizing the importance of avoiding promiscuity until they complete their education. To drive the point home, she allegedly asked all learners to spit on a clean sheet of paper, with only two refusing to comply. The teacher then folded the paper and took it outside, reportedly to dispose of it behind the toilets.

Parents are worried about the potential health and safety implications of the teacher’s actions, questioning why she didn’t ask one of the learners to dispose of the paper instead of doing it herself. “Why didn’t she ask one of the learners to dispose of the paper, her saliva wasn’t there, so why was she not disgusted by the learners’ saliva?” queried one parent.

Parents are calling for an investigation into the teacher’s methods, questioning whether her approach is acceptable. “The teacher is new at the school, she came late last year, and we have never heard of such a method of teaching. We want the education officials to investigate her case and hear if her way of teaching is accepted,” said another parent.

The school head, Peter Zvibodo, was not available for comment, and the teacher in question asked a reporter to speak to the sources or visit the school for more information. The incident follows another controversy at Nehanda Primary School in the same district where two teachers allegedly drew blood from 19 pupils using syringes.

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