• ZANEC is saddened by the gassing incident that happened at a Girls’ Technical School in Mushindamo District.
• Safety and Security of learners in schools must always be assured and should not be compromised.
• Investigative wings of government must fully investigate the matter and ensure the perpetrator is brought to book.
Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) has called for thorough investigations into the gassing incident that happened recently at a Girls’ Technical School in Mushindamo District in North-western Province.
ZANEC Executive Director George Hamusunga told Money FM News in an interview that the organization is saddened by the gassing incident and therefore condemns the act in strongest terms.
Mr. Hamusunga said the matter should be fully investigated and all measures necessary for learner protection to be reinforced, adding that Safety and Security of learners in schools must always be assured and not compromised.
He noted that the country has endorsed the Safe School Declaration which is an inter-governmental political agreement that outlines a set of commitments to strengthen the protection of education from attack and restrict use of schools and universities for military purposes.
Mr. Hamusunga urged investigative wings to fully investigate the matter and ensure the perpetrator faces the wrath of the law.
“As a Coalition, we condemn this act in the strongest terms and call for the matter to be fully investigated and all measures necessary for learner protection to be put in place or reinforced. Safety and Security of learners in schools must always be assured and should not be compromised.”
“Therefore, pupils should have adequate safety and security when they are at school. It is important to ensure that the school environments are safe for the learners and teachers as well,” Mr. Hamusunga said.
And Mr. Hamusunga called on the Teaching Council of Zambia (TCZ) to take interest in the matter and see to it that the rights of the accused Teacher are protected till proven guilty.
“This is a timely reminder for the Commission and Ministry of General Education to ensure our schools have the necessary learner protection and safeguarding measures. It is ZANEC’s hope that management at the school will provide counseling services to all the affected learners in order to enable them to recover from the trauma and continue with normal life and learning. We also wish the six learners who have been hospitalized a quick recovery,” he added.
A Teacher a Girls’ Technical School in Mushindamo District in North-western Province has been arrested for allegedly for allegedly gassing pupils as they were sleeping in a hostel.
The incident which happened on Saturday 27th February 2021, around mid-night, left six pupils in hospital.
