Education Minister Wirima sends warning shots to unruly students

* To bring sanity, we will not be left with any choice rather than expelling such ungovernable students

* Who spoil other students with clear vision of their future

By Gift Chiponde, MANA

Minister of Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima has condemned the increase rate of vandalism of school property by students in some secondary schools in the country and has since warned that those caught in such misconduct will be expelled and will not be given any opportunity to continue their education in any public institution.

She sounded this warning on Thursday at Mphomwa Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Kasungu where she inspected the construction works of classroom blocks and laboratories being financed by the Malawi Government and the World Bank.

Wirima said it is very disappointing and disheartening that while government is trying to improve education, there are some unruly students who are vandalizing classroom blocks and learning materials — especially if they do not agree with some of decisions by school managers.

“To bring sanity, we will not be left with any choice rather than expelling such ungovernable students who spoil other students with clear vision of their future,” she warned.

She cited Robert Blake in Dowa that on has Form 1s, while Khola and Nachitheme in Ntcheu  remain closed since students damaged property and classrooms which demands huge sums of money for restoration.

“Let me emphasize that as a Ministry, we do not condone the practice of vandalising property in our schools,” she said. “We have many students who come to school to shape their future.

“As such we will not allow a few students to disrupt the education of their peers. I therefore urge students to follow right channels of presenting their grievances as opposed to vandalism.”

She then asked parents and guardians to give right advice to their children, realizing that a child’s behaviour starts at home.

Before visiting Kasungu, the Education Minister inspected a similar project at Msongwe CDSS in Mzuzu City — projects being implementing under the Equity with Quality and Learning at Secondary School (EQUALS) in 13 districts.

This is to improve quality of science and mathematics teaching in CDSSs and to increase the number of students accessing secondary education especially in remote areas in the country.

Through EQUALS project, 103 secondary schools in the country have been expanded to increase learning space to spur performance of students in CDSSs.