One parent Elias Sakala, however, said that the decision was not the best in the circumstances as it would only affect the education of the children who have already done all processes required to sit for MSCE examinations this year.

“We are depressed. The three girls are to sit for their final form 4 examinations. They paid all the money; registration fees and the like. Now they are not learning. We don’t even know whether they will sit the examinations,” said Sakala.

Primary Education Advisor for Kanjuchi Zone, Halo Saka, said that the three girls have been issued transfers to find other schools for their own safety.

“The three girls were indeed being accused of practicing witchcraft at Kanjuchi CDSS but it’s not true that they were expelled from school.

“They were only given transfers to find places at other schools. This was done to consider their own safety from the angry community and fellow learners,” Saka said.

The three were expelled following a spate of unexplained illnesses on compass which, for some reason, learners begun blaming on the three form four students.

Complaints from the learners forced the school committee members and the traditional leaders in the area to expel the three as a solution to rising tension on compass.

One of the parent said the allegations leveled against his daughter are unfounded and have called on civil society organizations to intervene in the matter.

The laws of Malawi prohibit and penalize anyone proven to have called another a witch or wizard.