Malela, Kitwe Boys school authorities punish pupils for flashing red cards

Malela, Kitwe Boys school authorities punish pupils for flashing red cards
By Kabanda Chulu and Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Fri 19 Mar. 2010, 07:30 CAT

SCHOOL authorities at Malela and Kitwe Boys high schools have punished more than 11 pupils for flashing red cards and raising the PF’s clenched fist during Youth Day commemorations last week.

A check at Malela High School on Tuesday found the 11 pupils - seven girls and four boys - digging two rubbish pits as punishment that was slapped on them by the school authorities for allegedly supporting Change Life Zambia Fr Frank Bwalya’s red card campaign and being members of the PF.

One of the affected pupils talked to revealed that they were sent away from class by the school authorities around 08:00 hours and were given a case of misconduct after they flashed red cards and raised a PF symbol during a march past at Kitwe’s City Square during the commemoration of Youth Day that was graced by Kitwe District commissioner McDonald Mtine.

“We’re digging these two pits because the school authorities suspect we are supporters of PF and that we were supporting Fr Bwalya’s message and his red card campaign during Youth Day commemorations at City Square. Am disappointed with these people because despite being a pupil here, I have a right to support a grouping of my choice. Am 18 and am completing grade 12 this year, so supporting PF or the red card campaign is none of their business,” said one of the pupils.

And at Kitwe Boys High School, reliable sources revealed that the pupils who were suspected to have raised the PF symbol during the youth day march past were given ‘Call Your Parents’ (CP) notes and were later punished for misbehaving.

Kitwe Boys High School head teacher a Mr Mulandu refused to comment on the matter and referred all queries to the office of the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS), who also referred queries to Mtine.

When contacted, Mtine initially said he was not aware of the punishments being meted on the pupils.
“The DEBS has not gotten back to me over those issues, so I am not aware of what is happening in education circles here.

What I know is that the pupils were made to do what they were not supposed to do by some people but I made it clear even in my speech which you The Post covered adequately, and I am grateful for that, that young people should not be used by politicians as tools of violence,” said Mtine.