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Last night Police in Luchenza were forced to use teargas to disperse the crowd of students who were protesting peacefully over school fees hike at Luchenza Secondary School.
According to reports, the School’s management was working on raising the school fees from K50, 000 to K60, 000 the development which angered the students and prompted them to demonstrate.
Additionally, management was also demanding K1,500 from each student to meet compensations cost for a nearby community member whose farm was torched by some students from the campus and that they should as well meet K7,500 fee for windscreen and other developmental activities.
It was also revealed that the students were angry with the fact that teachers were paying much attention to Night School students (the ones who o their classes during the afternoon hours) hence the protests.
On Monday night, the students were said to be chanting protest songs inside the campus that attracted police’s attention hence firing teargas as one way of controlling them.
Firing of the teargas made the students to go on rampage outside the campus in quest for the favorable environment and water from the surrounding villages.
Headteacher for the school, Helbert Nsasa refused to comment on the development and he instead referred this reporter to education headquarter offices for more.
“Don’t talk to me, don’t talk to me. Talk to headquarters. They are better placed to comment,” said Nsasa before hanging up the phone.
On the other hand, when asked to comment on behalf of police, the national police spokesperson, James Kadadzela referred us to Thyolo police spokesperson who said their office is no longer handling issues to do with Southern East part of the country.
Officer-In-Charge for Luchenza Police, Senior Superintendent Leonard Chipa referred this reporter back to the police headquarters as their office has submitted all the details to them.
Kadadzera, has however said police ran to the scene of the incident by invitation hence they are not better placed to shade more light.
Meanwhile, we have also established that some students suffocated during the same night due to the teargas while others were forced to sleep outside the campus as the inside environment was not suitable.
