Malawi students run amok protesting exams cancellation due to leakage: Police make arrests
Cancellation of Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations by government on Wednesday has also not amused students in the country with some venting out their fury and frustration by marching on the streets.
In Mzuzu City, students run amok in the streets, marching and eye witnesses said stones were pelted as they vented their anger by marching on the streets at the Social Welfare offices, District Education Manager’s office, among others.
Police rushed to quell the situation and two students have so far been arrested.
Deputy police spokesperson for Mzuzu, Paul Tembo has said “more arrests will follow”.
In Lilongwe, there were running battles between the Police and angry students at Bwaila Secondary School who attempted to block the Kamuzu Procession Road as a show of their displeasure with the Ministry of Education’s decision to suspend MSCE examinations.
Police fired teargas to disperse the Form 4 candidates.
Meanwhile, the situation has normalised.
In Zomba, some students from Zomba Urban CDSS and Likangala Secondary School stormed Zomba District Commissioners’ premises to protest.
The students want the District Commissioner and other education stakeholders to intervene on the matter so that they continue sitting the exams, which were leaked.
Police also fired teargas to disperse students, who were protesting at Mpondabwino Market in the city during peak hour as people were knocking off from work, disrupting traffic and business at the market.
The exams commenced in October and were to run up to mid-November, but the leakage of the papers in soft copies on the social media has prompted the cancellation of the administration.
Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Agnes Nyalonje, told journalists on Wednesday in Lilongwe that the exams have been rescheduled to March 2021.
Nyalonje said the Malawi Police Service (MPS), her ministry and the Malawi National Examination Board (MANEB) had held a lengthy discussion on the matter and that they had resolved to cancel the administration of the exams.
According to the minister, the rescheduling of the exams will cost the government approximately 6 million U.S. dollars.
Meanwhile, civil society organizations in the country have criticised Malawi government for “letting the learners down by failing to safeguard the exams”.
Until early October, Malawi schools remained closed since March 20 when all schools were closed in the wake of COVID-19.
The development has also frustrated parents and guardians who described it as a waste of time and resources.
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OSAOPA A PHWANGA THATS MTAMBO AND CHILIMA WERE SAYING THAT TIME NOW I AM SAYING OSAOPA A PHWANGAAAAAAAAA GO KONKOoooooooooooooo
Y not cancel only the few subjects which wer leaked tn cancellation of the whole process? ??
Why arrest them ? During Ntambos time you said ithe protestors had rights to do so
I see no reason as to why some people are blaming the government. The seat of government is in Lilongwe while the ministry exam gurus were in Zomba. Afinyeni aku Zomba. When in happened in 2000 and 2007 nothing was done. This is the time to set a yardstick. Cancellation is good because mwana wakwa Mtepuwa alibe smart phone ndiye sanawone mayeso. Mwana wa ku Nthalire alibe smartphone sanawone nawo mayeso. Amene awonera mayeso nda a mtown omwe akupanga ma demos.
We need draw game. Tiyambirenso mofanaa.
Fruits of Ntambo? Chakwera and Chilima education system.. amati osawopa for nine months they taught these kids on how to be violent