Anti-quota protesters have accused the President Peter Mutharika administration of secretly using quota system in selection of students to public secondary schools.
Today, the protesters demonstrated in Mzuzu to show their anger over the continued use of the system when selecting students to public secondary schools.
Government said in October last year that it will no longer use the quota system when selecting students to secondary schools.
In December, the Ministry of Education announced the selection of 125 students to national secondary schools saying the allocation of places was based on merit principle to maintain national unity.
However, the Anti-quota Movement argues that the quota system was secretly used in the selection.
The group also claims that government tampers with examination results at the Malawi National Examinations Board.
According to Charles Kajoloweka who is a member of the Anti-Quota Movement, students from North are awarded a distinction after getting 85 percent on a paper while those from the South get a distinction for amassing 45 percent of the marks.
“These figures is what they use. That is why we have been demanding marked examination sheets,” said Kajoloweka.
Human Rights Defenders Coalition chairperson Timothy Mtambo, vice chairperson Gift Trapence, UTM spokesperson Chidanti Malunga and Aford member Yeremiah Chihana also participated in the demonstrations.
Speaking to the media, Mtambo called on government to give all students equal access to opportunities.
To give all students equal access to opportunities is what was being achieved through the quota system. The anti-quota demand is that the government should give merited access to students. I am sure Mtambo is lost on this one.