Area Development Committee (ADC) and star circle group in Likoma Island are organizing a joint protest against the school management in ten primary schools in Likoma Island.

Martin Mkwamba the chairperson for Area Development Committee said the learners have been missing classes after the school management sent them home on Monday 16 September 2019 for failure to pay contribution for remuneration for the volunteer teachers and utilities.

Following the development the Area Development Committee (ADC) and star circle group in the island said that they are organizing a joint protest against the decision.

“We are not happy with what managements of these schools are doing, they are not supposed to punish the learners like this, it is very bad to send learners back during school, we want to protest against this,” said Mkwamba.

Principal education advisor for St Peters Zone Mr Frank Nkali expressed ignorance on the matter but condemned the decision saying it is against the education policy in the country.

“Iam aware of the development it is worrisome indeed because they are violating education rights for learners, it is disappointing indeed that pupils have sent home on the very same day of school opening for failure to pay the required fees. The schools managements need to use proper channels to approach the government on the issue of teacher shortage at the schools,” said Nkali.

Martin said they are not happy with what school managements are doing by sending back the learners home.

It has been a tradition in most primary schools in Likoma that learners are not allowed to attend classes for failure to comply with the directives imposed by the school managent.

Likoma is one of the districts that have been performing poorly when it comes to MANEB results.