The encroached school land between teachers houses and teaching area fence
* Encroachment of the land started in 2016 between the school management school and the community members that led to a court case in 2018
* After contact and dialogue between PTA members, chiefs, District Commissioner failed to solve the problem
* There is low morale among both teachers and learners as their safety is heavily compromised, especially the teachers, whose houses are unprotected by perimeter fence
By Duncan Mlanjira
There was a tension at Khongoloni Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Phalombe yesterday October 21 when angry students staged demonstrations forcing surrounding community members to stop constructing houses on their public school land they encroached.
According to one of the concerned teachers, Dr. Duncan Wadson, the land conflict between the school management school and the community members started in 2016 when they slowly started encroaching the school land.
Dr. Duncan Wadson
“In 2018, the school had a project of constructing teachers’ houses on the school land but some villagers confiscated construction materials and project stopped,” Wadson said, adding that the conflict has escalated to high levels including the police been involved.
“Teachers were living in fear as they were being threatened and the school was closed for a week following the villagers’ actions. Community chiefs, parents & teachers association (PTA) members — including the District Commissioner — tried to solve the case through contact and dialogue but that did not yield positive results.”
Wadson further said last week, “one member of community started constructing a foundation of a house but very close to a teacher’s house which caused a lot fear to teachers”.
“After the students observed the situation of the construction of the house foundation on school land, they organised themselves and started demonstrations against the community member.
Other parts of the land is used for crop cultivation by community members
“It should be noted that the conflict started in 2016 and the case was taken to court in 2018 after contact and dialogue failed to solve the problem.
“It is very unfortunate because teachers are frustrated and they cannot work with maximum effort. Consequently, some teachers are seeking for postings to other schools where they can work without fear and stress.
He shared some of the causes of the land conflict which include the decision to erect the school’s perimeter fence but just only surrounding teaching areas of the school leaving teacher’s houses outside the school fence.
“In 2011, the African Development Bank had a project at Khongoloni CDSS. “Among others, they constructed school blocks, two teachers houses and a fence.
“Due to limited resources, the fence only covered the teaching area, leaving teacher’s houses and a larger piece of idle land outside the fence.
“The community members took an advantage of that and started encroaching the school land outside the fence.”
He further said “the land has gained value because of electricity which is now available in Khongoloni area and this has caused some community members to claim ownership of the school land and selling it to business men at higher prices”.
Other causes of the conflict, according to Wadson, included lack of cooperation among community leaders, [who should have been in the forefront to protect government-owned land].
“Currently, there is low morale among both teachers and learners as their safety is heavily compromised, especially the teachers, whose houses are unprotected.
“After the students’ demonstrations, one community member threatened that he will burn one teacher’s house or demolish it in the night.
“After the students’ demonstrations yesterday, the community member who was constructing the house foundation on the school land went to police where he lodged his complaint, who called PTA members for a hearing at the police station.
“The PTA members have since asked the students and teachers to remain calm as they await a decision from the authorities.”
Advertisement
Together with the PTA members, Wadson shared some the school management’s solutions that they are suggesting as recommendations, which include asking the Ministry of Education to “seriously intervene because the case has taken too long (nine years)”.
The Ministry is also been asked “to make sure there is proper school land documentation through lease and that the District Commissioner “should warn the community on the consequences of encroaching on school land”.
Community leaders are also being asked to cooperate to find the a quick solution to the case and that school’s perimeter fence should be extended to cover the whole school land.
Advertisement
The post was very good, I appreciate how you explain it, Keep the posts coming! Very good talent.