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Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
A TEACHER who sent pornographic videos and a nude picture of himself to a 16-year-old pupil in an alleged attempt to entice him into a gay relationship has been fired.

Gilbert Mano, 36, was a teacher at Fletcher High School in Gweru when he allegedly sent the pictures.

Midlands Provincial Education Director Agnes Gudo yesterday confirmed that Mano had been discharged by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

She said he would not come back to school for the second term.

Gudo told The Chronicle that a disciplinary hearing found that Mano – who is thought to be gay – posed a threat to the school children’s wellbeing adding that his services were no longer required by the ministry.

She said the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education valued the safety of pupils in schools and therefore did not condone his behaviour.

“The teacher at Fletcher High School has been fired. He is not coming next term. We value our children in schools and want them to learn in an environment that won’t harm them physically and emotionally,” said Gudo.

Mano, of Cape Street in Shurugwi, was teaching Literature in English at the school.

He was last week ordered to pay $100 fine after he was convicted of distributing pornographic material.

In a shock ruling, Gweru magistrate Gweru magistrate Tayengwa Chibanda, after ordering him to pay the fine, said he hoped that the teacher KEEPS HIS JOB.

Mano has a wife and children. He claimed in court that the Fletcher High School Form 4 pupil — whom prosecutors believe he was trying to convert to homosexuality — had asked him to send the videos and nude picture.

“Indeed I sent my nude picture and the two videos after the complainant asked me to,” Mano told the court.

Passing sentence last week, Chibanda said he had considered that Mano was a first offender as he let him go with a fine.

“If you’re given a custodial sentence, you may lose your job and the court has considered that you’re a family man,” he said.

Prosecuting, Lloyd Mavhisa told the court that Mano sent the material on December 8 last year.

The pupil showed the offensive videos and pictures to his father who called the police.

“The pornographic picture was printed from the informant and was brought to court as evidence,” said Mavhisa.