Teacher at St Anne’s Primary School in Harare has been charged with culpable homicide following the drowning of a three-year-old pupil in the school’s swimming pool, an incident that has sent shockwaves through the community and reignited debates over safety protocols in early childhood education settings.
Martha Karota Rice, an Early Childhood Development (ECD) teacher at the school, appeared before Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa on Thursday. She was remanded in custody until Friday, when the court is expected to hear her bail application.
According to the State, the incident took place during a school day while Rice was supervising eight children from her ECD A and B classes. Around 11:30 AM, it is alleged, Rice left seven of the pupils unattended outside and went into the school building. During this time, the gate to the swimming pool area was reportedly left unlocked—a critical lapse that prosecutors argue directly contributed to the fatal accident.
In Rice’s absence, one of the young children—a three-year-old pupil—apparently wandered away from the group and entered the pool enclosure. The child fell into the pool and drowned before anyone could intervene.
When Rice returned, she reportedly discovered the child floating in the water. She is said to have jumped into the pool to retrieve the pupil and then alerted other staff members, who responded to the emergency. Despite efforts to save the child, the incident proved fatal. Authorities were notified, and Rice was taken into police custody soon after the matter was reported.
The tragedy has sparked widespread concern among parents, teachers, and education advocacy groups, many of whom are demanding answers about how such an incident could have occurred under the watch of school authorities.
“This should never have happened,” said one concerned parent whose child is enrolled in the same ECD program. “Our children are supposed to be safe at school. A three-year-old should never be left unsupervised near a swimming pool.”
Teacher Charged with Culpable Homicide After Tragic School Drowning
Educational experts have also weighed in on the case, highlighting the broader systemic issues facing early childhood institutions in Zimbabwe, including teacher shortages, insufficient staff training, and inadequate infrastructure. In many schools, safety measures and emergency response protocols are often underdeveloped or poorly enforced.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed that the matter is under active investigation. While an official statement from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is still pending, internal reviews are believed to be underway. Education watchdogs have already begun calling for stronger regulatory oversight and more rigorous safety policies across all schools, especially those catering to very young children.
“The fact that the swimming pool gate was left unlocked is a serious breach of basic safety standards,” said an education consultant familiar with the matter. “Supervision of children that age must be continuous and vigilant. This is a preventable tragedy that calls for accountability at multiple levels—not just for the teacher, but possibly for the school’s management as well.”
Legal analysts say that the culpable homicide charge reflects the gravity of the incident and the degree to which the alleged negligence could be considered a contributing factor to the child’s death. If convicted, Rice could face a significant prison sentence.
Meanwhile, Rice’s defense team is expected to argue that the incident, while tragic, was not the result of criminal negligence but a momentary lapse that could have happened to anyone. Sources close to the case say she has been cooperative with investigators and deeply shaken by the outcome of the day’s events.
Still, many believe the case should serve as a wake-up call for all educational institutions handling the care of young children. Calls for reforms include the installation of child-proof barriers around all pools, compulsory training in child supervision and first aid for ECD teachers, and stricter enforcement of teacher-to-pupil ratios in nursery and preschool settings.
As the case moves forward in court, the community continues to mourn the loss of a young life and await justice. Funeral arrangements for the child have not been publicly announced, but classmates and staff at St Anne’s Primary School are reportedly planning a memorial to honor the pupil’s memory.
For now, Rice remains behind bars, awaiting her bail hearing as the legal process begins to unfold.
