Malawian concerned students have organized city after city demonstrations starting next week over prolonged school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a statement made available to Malawi24, the group through its national chairperson Mavuto Lineus Folokiya, the demonstrations will start with Blantyre city on Wednesday, 24th February, 2021.
In the statement, Folokiya said the demonstrations are as a result of government’s failure to respond to their petition which was delivered to COVID-19 presidential taskforce through Lilongwe city council on 10th February, this year.
After delivering the petition, the group gave government two-day ultimatum to respond to it. However, government authorities has up to now remained silent a development which according Folokiya has forced them to organize these demonstrations.
“We expect that schools will reopen on 22nd February, 2021 of which any Covid-19 induced holiday extension will force concerned students to hold demonstrations in all four cities starting with Blantyre on Wednesday, 24 February, 2021 at 9:00am from Kamuzu stadium.
“We are therefore requesting for participation by all concerned students, parents/guardians and stakeholders,” reads part of the statement.
According to the group, the demonstrations are aimed at re-delivering their petition to the President and Cabinet assuming that their previous petition did not reach the president and the COVID-19 presidential task force.
According to the national chairperson, anticipated prospective participants are advised to follow COVID-19 preventive measures such as put on masks.
Meanwhile, Independent Schools Association of Malawi (Isama) has written the Ministry of Health, asking to allow all private schools open by February 22 in case the government extends schools closure due to Covid-19.
Isama president, Joseph Patel, says private schools have few students as compared to public schools hence it’s easier to adhere to Covid-19 preventive measures, adding that there are students who need to write Malawi National Examination Board examinations this year.
