Mzuzu Government Secondary School female learners Thursday demonstrated against the school managements’ decision forcing them to do preparation studies (Prep) at hostels instead of classrooms.
Meanwhile the school management says the female learners are denied access to the classes during prep at night because there is no one to supervise them.
Speaking in an interview head girl at the school, Annet Chiombe said the female learners demonstrated because the management’s decision promotes inequality between female and male learners and further impinges on fulfilment on the girls’ right to education.
She said; “for the past three days, we have been told to be studying at the hostel yet the hostel is not meant for studying. We want the school to give us a chance to study so that we can compete with the boys,”
Mzuzu Government Secondary School Deputy Headmaster, Yesaya Soko said that meantime the school has no one to supervise the female learners during preparation studies.
“There is supposed to be a supervisor at Prep. We don’t have one that’s why we made a decision that the girls should be studying at their hostels,” he said.
Soko said the supervisor was not reporting for duties and the school is in the process of identifying another one.
He pleaded with the students to exercise patience as the school cannot risk the learners’ to possible immoral conduct by letting them to study without a supervisor.
The learners demonstrated on the school campus chanting songs against the management and one of their placards read, “Girls Education matter, we want Prep, this school is for girls and boys; not boys only.”