By Sarah Munthali
Police in Mchinji have arrested 12 students of Magawa Secondary School for vandalizing school property during Tuesday night.
The arrests were part of police interventions to restore peace at the school.
Mchinji Police spokesperson, Kaitano Lubrino said the students vandalized school property in reaction to the school’s authority move to suspend a student who had a radio against school rules.
“Police investigations established that the students were unhappy with a move by the school’s decision to suspend a student who was found with a radio and this did not go well with the students who went on rampage,” he said.
The irate students burnt the administration block with petrol bomb where the head teacher’s office has been the most affected.
Value assessment for the damaged properties has not been made, though books including other important files and documents have been damaged.
Early last month, students from the school took to the streets and presented a petition to the District Education Manager’s office, where they complained over poor learning conditions at the school.
Students have been protesting for the transfer of Patson Chimbatata who is the head teacher for the school over alleged mal-administration.
Among other complaints, the students protested against the coming in of new students at the school without proper procedures, poor diet, and corruption including the alleged mismanagement of the school.-MANA