Mvama LEA School learners in Lilongwe City on Thursday, 19th August 2021 held violent demonstrations damaging window panes of the Headteachers office in anger against the school not to prepare for them their final Mock examinations which they paid for in advance.
On Thursday, learners and their parents mounted pressure at standard 8 teachers to refund the K2,000 meant for the final Mock examinations where the parents agreed that Tuesday, 24th August 2021 be the day for refunding the money but the decision did not please the learners and in so sooner, they started pelting stones at the Head teacher’s office forcing standard 8 teachers and support staff to run away for cover.
In the process of violent demonstrations, eight ring leaders were arrested, appeared before Mvama police Unit which falls under Kanengo police station, and revealed 155 out of 206 learners as taking part in the pelting of stones at the head teacher’s office and all have been summoned to appear before the same Mvama police Unit on Monday, 23rd August 2021 at 9;00 a.m.
But, two of the teachers at the school speaking on a strict condition of anonymity said the Office Admins and School Management Committee chairperson are lacking transparency and accountability of funds coming at the school citing School Improvement Grant (SIG) and money amounting to MK4.5 million which came from Government towards the construction of a low classroom shelter at the school.
The two teachers said the school received MK1.2 million SIG, teachers are not aware of who amongst them are involved in the planning and preparing estimates and interestingly, the school Admins appointed five teachers in the Procurement and Finance committees for the low classroom shelter to serve their own interest other than for developing the school and teachers were not consulted on their appointments.
“No class can fit in the low classroom shelter being constructed, we have a two-classroom block without roofing, the money could have gone to this other than MK4.5 million plus 25 percent from School Development Fund to it, this is just blanketing the surrounding community,” remarked the two teachers.
One parent, Mr. Edward Kamzaza Banda lamented over the School Development Fund which was at K1,000 but the School Management Committee connived with the headteacher to make it K2,000 saying this is a worrisome development because the decision was reached on their own without consulting the communities.
Kamzaza Banda has since requested the Ministry of Education to come urgently at the school for a meeting with members of staff before meeting the surrounding community for the reasons why the school’s surrounding community are very hostile towards the developments of the school.
Meanwhile, preparations for 2021 Primary School Leaving Certificate of Educations Examinations (PSLCE) which starts on 8th September 2021, are subject to discussions observing that the school is an Examination centre hosting four Private primary schools as nobody knows what will happen on the 10th September 2021, the last day of the examinations.
