…..The other three schools with similar offenses remain closed….

….Its selective justice and politics at play……

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Chaminade Marianist Secondary School of the catholic church in Lilongwe is still in full operation despite the Malawi government, through the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education ordering the closure of the school based on administering corporal punishment and governance issues.

On January 17, this year, The Public Relations Officer for the Ministry, Mphatso Nkuonera confirmed the closure of Chaminade and described the use of corporal punishment as “archaic and against the laws of the country”.

“it is true that the ministry has closed Chaminade Marianist Secondary School for administering corporal punishment, as you are aware, this act is against the laws of country and the closure is effective immediately,” Nkuonera said.

However, despite the closure notice to the public, Chaminade is in full operation without remorse.

The Maravi Post sneaked into the school’s premises on Monday afternoon whereas classes were normal as if nothing had happened.

“It was just an order on the paper, nothing changed here. Classes were just disrupted in the first week of the closure notice but in following weeks, life became normal till now,” one of the inside workers told The Maravi Post.

The development comes when other two schools in Lilongwe and one in Mangochi were closed last year on similar offenses remain closed.

When contacted for comment, Education Ministry publicist Nkuonera pushed the matter to Principal Secretary for Basic and Secondary Education Chimbwete Phiri who failed to respond on several attempts.

This publication also made several attempts to get feedback from the Education Minister for Basic and Secondary Madalitso Mbauwa Wirima who failed to pick up her mobile phone on several attempts with WhatsApp message.

But sources within the Education Ministry told The Maravi Post that the matter was beyond officials including the minister herself.

“Look, Chaminade is a catholic school whose church has a political influence in Malawi. Soon after the closure notice was issued, heads of the catholic church including bishops pressed hard Malawi government leadership to reverse the decision.

“Due to politics at play, the ministry is failing even to visit the school premises over the closure notice. This is pure selective justice we are witnessing currently. The child (victim) went through a lot but no one at the school has been taken to task because is the catholic church,” worried a female Capitol Hill official in the Ministry of Education.

She queried further, “There are other three schools closed on similar offenses but they did not defy any closure order. What’s so special about Chaminade? What message is the Ministry of Education sending to schools on the promotion of good governance”.

After the closure, the country’s Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) commended the Ministry’s action and argued that the decision aligned with both moral and legal imperatives, reinforcing the Government’s commitment to upholding the rights of children and ensuring compliance with the law.

In a press statement issued on Saturday, January 18, 2025 and signed by CSEC chairman and Executive Director Limbani Nsapoto and Benedicto Kondowe respectively said, “The Ministry of Education (MoE) has taken a clear stance against corporal punishment, a practice that is explicitly prohibited under Section 19(1) of the Constitution of Malawi, which guarantees freedom from torture and degrading treatment, as well as Section 4(e) of the Education Act, 2013, which mandates non-violent disciplinary methods.”

CSEC lauded Education Ministry, “This decision is further supported by international instruments such as Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC) and Article 16 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), which obligate states to protect children from all forms of abuse and violence.

“The Committee on the Rights of the Child defines corporal punishment as any use of physical
force intended to cause pain or discomfort, including actions like hitting and degrading nonphysical punishments”.

CSEC observed further, “Under Article 19(1) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), states are obligated to protect children from all forms of physical and mental violence.

“The CRC interprets this to include corporal punishment and urges its prohibition in all settings, as emphasized in General Comment No. 8 (2006)”.

Read the statement further, “Importantly, this ban on corporal punishment does not imply a prohibition on all disciplinary measures; rather, it promotes non-violent, constructive approaches that uphold performance and quality standards while respecting the dignity and rights of the child.

“While the closure of the school is justifiable given the circumstances, it is important to ensure that the interests of the affected students are duly protected. CSEC urges the Ministry to prioritize quick and effective remedial measures to support the students and restore the school’s operations”.

In addition, CSEC emphasized the need to assess whether the closure of the school was the only viable remedy in this situation.

Chaminade Marianist Secondary School became the first school to be closed by the Ministry in 2025 for failing to comply with the laws of the country.