Ministry moves on Kalibu Academy students brawl

Ministry of Education has deployed a team to Kalibu Academy in Blantyre to investigate a viral video of boys fighting in a hostel at the school.

Kalibu Academy management has since stated in a statement that its investigations established that the video is not about bullying per se, but a fight over a girl.

Minister of Education Agnes NyaLonje said in an interview on Wednesday that her ministry assigned a team led by the education division manager and an inspector of schools to conduct a fact check at the school.

“We are awaiting their report and recommended action. Meanwhile my ministry is imploring parents to take greater responsibility in positively shaping behaviour of their children,” she said.

In a press statement issued yesterday, Kalibu Academy management confirmed that the video clip originated from the school and was filmed on a smartphone on the night of November 16 2022 by a Form Six learner.

However, the school said it has instituted investigations into the matter despite not receiving complaints from the concerned students.

Reads the statement in part: “Although no complaint was lodged by anyone to the school, in relation to any incidents portrayed by the video [and still no complaint has been lodged even after the publication of the video], management set out to establish the identity of the students in the video and further to establish what occurred, where and when.”

The school further said it found that the video is not about bullying, but a fight over a girl.

“The incident involved Form Four students who went to a hostel occupied by Form Five students [Elisha Hostel] to fight over a girl said to be a girlfriend to one of the Form Four students,” reads the statement.

The school further said it found that the incident occurred on the eve of the Form Fives’ final paper in the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) paper. The students are no longer on campus, said the statement.

The school has since committed to share its findings and sanctions with Malawi Human Rights Commission and Ministry of Education who have taken an interest in the matter.

Civil Society Education Coalition executive director Benedicto Kondowe said his network will engage the ministry to thoroughly follow up on the issue.

He said the network will also set up clubs in schools to raise awareness on human rights discourse as there is an indication that it is being misunderstood.

The video shows a learner forcing another into a forced fight challenge while others cheered on. The learner was later pushed by the ‘ring leader’.

The video, which has received backlash on social media, has come barely weeks after NyaLonje issued a stern warning that the ministry will expel learners bullying or teasing colleagues in schools.