Anti-quota group threatens secondary schools shutdown
The Quota Must Fall Movement on Thursday held a demonstration to warn government against upholding the contested secondary school selection and allowing students to report to school.
Speaking during a press briefing in Mzuzu on Wednesday when the group announced it was going ahead with the demos, Quota Must Fall Movement secretary general Dan Msowoya said government should respond to the demands or risk a complete shutdown of public secondary schools.
He said: “People are very angry out there and their stand is that they will block students from accessing the schools. So, government needs to make a quick decision on the matter.”
On his part, the movement’s coordinator Charles Kajoloweka said government admitted flaws in the selection process and, therefore, should correct the situation.
He said: “They claim the best student has six As. Here in Mzuzu, there is a student with five As and one B who has not made it to national secondary school. So, we find that the whole selection was a mess and needs to be nullified.”
Kajoloweka said no Form One student selected under the Primary School Leaving Certificate should be allowed to go to secondary school until government comes up with a proper selection.
Another member of the movement the Reverend William Mumba said government should not underrate the anger of people as communities are ready to participate in the shutdown of secondary schools.
Ministry of Education principal secretary Justin Saidi did not pick our calls when called several times. However, he earlier justified the selection, saying it was based on merit and that not all students could make it to national secondary schools.
