Teachers urged to protect learners’ rights

 Machinga first grade magistrate Austin Kamanga has warned teachers in the district against giving learners harsh punishments when they break school rules, saying such punishments are prohibited by law.

He said this on Tuesday at Nambaiko Community Day Secondary School (CDSS), Traditional Authority (T/A) Mizinga in the district during a meeting with teachers, learners, chiefs and other leaders Youth Wave Organisation conducted to discuss issues that fuel dropout rate among girls.

The meeting followed a five-year-Power to Youth (PtY) project Youth Wave is implementing in partnership with other five non-governmental organisations in the area and T/As Kapoloma and Sale to fight child marriages and sexual gender-based violence.

Said Kamanga: “As teachers, you need to protect rights of children. Don’t give them corporal punishments because these punishments are prohibited by law.”

T/A Mizinga thanked the magistrate for enlightening them about the law.

The chief commended the project, saying it has empowered the youth to confront factors that fuel child marriages.

Melia John, a Form Two learner at Nambaiko

 CDSS, said the magistrate’s reflection on learners’ rights will empower them to defend their rights.

Youth Wave PtY coordinator Westone Mfunya said they wanted to give learners space to outline issues that affect them.

Youth Wave is implementing the project with funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Sonke Gender Justice.