MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Malawi’s northern based grouping calling itself Anti Quota Movement challenged that should the government not allow it to know the mechanisms used during the selection of the Form One students, it will take its demonstrations to the Capitol Hill in Lilongwe.
Speaking on Monday during its first anti quota demonstrations in 2020, the group’s Spokesperson Reverend William Mumba said the government should walk the talk in implementing an equitable selection of students from the three regions of the country as per its promise during its previous meetings with the group.
“For these issues, we end tomorrow at about 9 o’clock. So, it’s about two days. But should the government not respond to our petition, we are at Capitol Hill. That’s our next place,” Mumba said.
However, the government through the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) Justin Saidi said the Movement’s demands are unfortunate arguing that the second selection of the learners was based on merit.
Said asserted that in both the first and second selections, Phalombe District produced more students to boarding secondary schools because the students performed much better than others.
The demonstrations, which are slated for two days, were patronised by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Chairperson, Timothy Mtambo and his Vice, Gift Trapence, and some notable politicians in the North.
The grouping match started from Mzuzu University to Northern Education Division Offices where a petition was delivered to the government through Education Division Manager Mzondi Moyo.
Last year, the Movement held the same demonstrations twice in a bid to force the government to nullify the Standard 8 Examinations selection; which seemed to have favoured learners from the Southern and Central Regions at the expense of their counterparts in the North.