MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-The Minister of Education, Science and Technology, William Susuwele Banda, has lashed at the human rights activists for inciting violent protests among students in both secondary schools and colleges.
Banda, who was speaking on Wednesday, advised human rights organisations to be more careful whenever they address students to demand their rights; since most of them are tender minds.
“Those organisations have to be careful when addressing the students to demand their rights. Most of these boys and girls are tender minds who cannot differentiate rights and responsibilities. So, the organisations should also sensitise the students on their responsibilities, ” said Susuwele Banda.
While concurring with the Minister’s sentiments, the Executive Director of Church and Society under the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia, Moses Mkandawire, said it is indeed high time human rights organisations went back to schools to teach students to exercise their rights with a great sense of responsibility.
However, Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC), Executive Director, Benedicto Kondowe, said there is need for a multi sectoral approach when dealing with human rights issues among students.
“We need to have a collective approach to the issues of human rights among our students, so that whenever we are talking of rights, we should also be talking of responsibilities,” Kondowe said.
Of late, there has been a spate of violent protests in secondary schools and colleges. Blantyre Secondary School, Thyolo Secondary School St. Michaels Girls Secondary School in Mangochi and Rumphi Secondary School were closed down after students conducted violent protests for alleged mismanagement in the schools.
Property worth millions of Kwachas was damaged during the demonstrations.
