By Brian Longwe
Machinga-(MaraviPost)-Teachers in all schools across the country have been asked to put in place strong measures to protect human rights of students with albinism.
The call was made on Tuesday, when Plan Malawi International Organisation through its “Yes I Do” project was meeting with primary school teachers in Ntaja and Namandanje Educational Zones in Machinga district.
According to the project Coordinator Joseph Maere, the organisation discovered that children with albinism face various challenges in their school environments like insecurity, segregation and discrimination from their fellows.
Maere therefore called upon school administrations to consider putting into consideration strategies that will ensure maximum security, and give stiffer punishments to students and teachers who abuse human rights of albinos in school campuses.
Maere explined; “Through our project, we have discovered that a good number of boys and girls with albinism have dropped out from school here in Machinga due to the outlined problems. That is why we are asking teachers to consider protecting those children as a way of bringing them back to school.”
The Headteacher for Namisango Primary School in Namandanje Educational Zone Carston Chisalanga confirmed to Maravi Post that from the month of January to April marking the first quarter of the year 2018, two boys with albinism dropped out from school on the same reasons.
Chisalanga said there is need for effective school-community relationship in fighting against the criminals who take advantage on the vulnerable albino children.
“Plan Malawi has drilled us with some skills on how to protect children and there is promising probability that we (teachers) will work together with the community to end these malpractices.” Chisalanga explained.
People with albinism in the country are still living a fearful life due to the news of re-emergence of attacks in some parts of the country.
Recently, the Association of People with Albinism (APAM) conducted demonstrations over the abduction and murder of McDonald Masambuka.
