Minister of Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima has described the riots that occurred at Kamwanya Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Mchinji district as one of the worst school riots in the country.
On Sunday night, students at the school set ablaze property worth over K25 million during a protest against the suspension of some of their colleagues over indiscipline.
Visiting the school on Tuesday, Wirima expressed worry over the incident saying she decided to visit the school so that she could see the extent of the damage for herself.
“I came to see the impact of the vandalism for myself. It’s a sorry sight that has proven to be one of the worst riots and very retrogressive.
“Let me remind students across the country that ‘Human Rights’ go with responsibility, otherwise you impinge on other people’s rights too,” said Wirima.
She added that as a way of making sure that such conducts are dealt with in schools, the ministry will review the School Rules and Regulations Policy, and the new policy will ensure that no student engages in school vandalism.
“The policy will be punitive enough and will bar such ill-mannered students from being perpetrators of vandalism in public schools. We have lost teaching and learning materials worth billions of kwachas in the nine secondary schools which have suffered hugely due to riots,” she added.
Wirima has since called upon parents and guardians, faith community, local leaders, and traditional leaders to jointly fight against school property damage that could be handled through dialogue.
She has however directed that teaching and learning should start at the school as authorities continue assessing the damage caused.
Meanwhile, the riots left thirteen students with minor injuries and police have arrested 10 students over the incident.
Meanwhile, Ntcheu, Khola, Robert Blake, St John, Bosco, and Malosa are some of the schools that have been vandalized by students in the country.
