TWO Batanai High School students allegedly committed suicide within a space of a month in an alleged case of drug and substance abuse.

A Form 3 student at the Redcliff based school was the first to take his life after he hung himself at a nearby drug base using a school neck-tie in May under unclear circumstances while in early June a Form 4 student was found hanging from a tree at their home in Torwood.

The incident left the Redcliff community shell shocked and divided with one section strongly convinced that the two students had a history of drug abuse while another alleged acts of evil spirits and Satanism at the school.

Kwekwe District Schools Inspector Mr Herbet Maziriri confirmed the unfortunate incident saying he had received a report to that effect.

“I received a report but I cannot pre-empt what it contains at this moment but we are seized with the matter. What I can only say for now is that we are going to meet with the students, parents, teachers and community for psycho support through our department in the ministry of primary and secondary education,” said Mr Maziriri.

School head Mr Henry Dube declined to comment citing protocol but the school development committee (SDC) Chair, Mr Assa Hlabathi confirmed the development and authoritatively rubbished the evil spirits rumor and confirmed that the two male students had a well-documented history of drug abuse.

“In the first incident which happened in late May, The Form 3 student hung himself at a nearby building they used as a drug base. There is an incomplete house just outside the school yard that they used as a drug base where they consumed hard substances called mutoriro and mbanje amongst other drugs, that is where he was found hanging,” said Mr Hlabathi.

He said both the parents and the school authorities were failing to control him due to his drug abuse habit.

“He was very intelligent in school but teachers had a problem in controlling him. By the time he took his life, parents and school authorities were trying to find a way to help him after we leant that he had stolen a substantial amount of money from home and spent it all on drugs,” he said.

In the second incident which happened a fortnight later, a Form Four learner also took his life while at their home in Torwood.

“The student used to be problematic as he would come to school drunk and would sexually abuse girls at school. He had a number of indecent assault cases and bullying others. After engaging his parents, we decided to expel him from the school for the safety of other children,” said Mr Hlabathi.

By the time he took his life, he was in the process of being transferred to 1 Air Defense High School, an army school located in the Redcliff town.

“We thought at an army school he would get disciplined. I am told they had an argument with his mother while at home over the matter and he took a rope and hung himself in a tree,” explained Mr Hlabathi.

He said Batanai High was one of the schools affected by the drug and substance abuse scourge.

“We are in trouble and we have truly run out of ideas as to what to do with the problem. Both boys and girls are involved in the drugs such that there was a time when we decided to search boys upon entry in the school yard, but girls would smuggle the drugs into the school. We surely do not know what to do with this generation,” he said.

He said the community is also exacerbating the situation as they are the ones supplying the drugs to the students.

“The problem is that the community, amongst them police officers, are supplying the drugs to the students. There are known bases surrounding the school and we have tried reporting but they remain there. Some know drug peddlers are seen daily roaming the streets,” he said.

As a way forward, the school has called for a stakeholder consultative meeting to try and map a way forward.

“We intend to hold a stakeholder meeting with police, parents, army and community at large as we try to see how best we can help each other before more lives are lost,” he said.

The incident comes at a time when the country is battling to end the drug and substance abuse menace which has threatened to lead the generation astray.

Recently appointed Junior MP for Redcliff Kudakwashe Mhonda, who learns at neighboring Drake High School, said the drug and substance abuse has threatened to wipe off their generation.

“We have a serious challenge as a generation and some learners are even taking drugs during lesson time. What is worrying is the behavior that puts other learners at risk at school. Both girls and boys are partaking in this drug syndrome,” said.

He however vowed that during his tenure, he wants to make a change adding that recreational facilities should be resuscitated to keep them busy.

“I vow that, even if I don’t single handedly end the problem, I want to leave a mark. But I also want to urge responsible authorities to help resuscitate our recreational facilities like stadiums and youth centers so that we find something to do when we are not at school,” he said.