Thursday, March 28, 2024

Cell phones ban: Pupils arrested for planned violent protest

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POLICE in Isoka in Northern Province have arrested nine grade twelve pupils for allegedly attempting to set on fire a ZESCO transformer and a car belonging to one of the member’s of staff at the learning institution.

Both Northern division police commanding officer Charles Lungu and Isoka district commissioner Henry Mukukugule have confirmed the arrests of the pupils in separate interviews with the Zambia news and Information Services [ZANIS].

He explained that the plans by the pupils to burn a ZESCO transformer and a teacher’s car followed a ban by the school administration not to allow the pupils to take their cell phones into the dormitories.

The divisional police commanding officer said police have also recovered a five litre container of petrol which was to be used in petrol-bombing the ZESCO transformer and a teacher’s car.

‘Yes I can confirm to you that we have arrested nine grade twelve pupils of Isoka high school in Northern Province for attempted arson,’ Said Mr. Lungu.

The school administration issued a ban on the usage of cell phones in a bid to instill discipline in the pupils as well as to enable them concentrate on their studies.

However, the pupils received the directives with mixed feelings and planned to stage a protest in which ZESCO transformer and a teacher’s car were the main targets in the planned attack that was to be executed last night.

Mr. Lungu said the pupils who are all remanded at Isoka police station were arrested yesterday.

He said the nine pupils who have been jointly charged with one count of attempted arson are expected to appear in court soon.

According to investigations carried out by ZANIS,the ZESCO transformer was targeted so as to paralize operations at the school and disturb the smooth running of lessons while the teachers car was targeted because he was singled out to have been the one who initiated the ban on the usage of cell phones in class and dormitories.

And Mr. Mukukngule who has condemned the behaviour of the arrested pupils warned that the government would not condone indiscipline in institutions of learning.

He urged the pupils to use right ways of sorting out grievances in future instead of resorting to criminal means adding that they would end up destroying their own future .

ZANIS/JM/MKM/ENDS

54 COMMENTS

  1. The use of cell phones in schools should be regulated the way the developed countries have done.Cell phones are vital communication tools for the students but the schools have the right to control their usage.
    There are so many bad effects of using/having phones in a country like ZEDI. For one, those who can not afford feel affected/left out and may end up stealing and those who have will just abuse their use by just showing/bragging off. Let the teachers continue taking control of the phone saga/Indaba. **==[-x[-x[-x

  2. hey #13!!u ve a sick mind..
    i can agree with those selfish teachers if they banned use of phones in classes and not in hostels.
    may be its competition the teacher is facing over girls…
    let the pupils use this vital tool.
    free them…

  3. no ma cellphone mu class yes, but namu mahostel? awe iyo yeve. we have villagers for school administrators.

  4. My people!! The Zambians!! Ubututu ifi ifima Teachers !!! Awe these are the people that are pulling the country down. I Sheiiit on them !!

  5. What a violent bunch , cellphones taken away and they react in such a way. What happens when these pupils are inducted into society will they react even worse when their luxuries are taken awya. What do they even use these cellphones for that makes them violent. Most zambian school students barely have credit to call and just use cellphones to ‘page’

  6. it’s unreasonable to ban cellphones in this time and age.ther’e no longer a luxury,ther’e a necessity. :@):@):@)

  7. you guys sometimes in the so called diaspora realy let us down,you tend to see some things in a different perspective from what they are suppose to be. One fact is in europe where i assume you live in comfort, a 14 year old female pupil will have a cell phone and she’ll use it constructively as a tool of communication.do you think it is the same here no my brothers,come back to zambia an go to kasama.you will see what evil the same mobile phones you are propagating facilitates to those poor souls at kasama girls.the chaps are being ripped apart just for mere talk time.they are always with programmes.and this is just one example as with those drunks at isoka boys just charge the with treason.

  8. It is just the question of responsibility. A cell phone is not a luxury at all. The use of cell phones in class…come on now, thats just common sense. We do not even need to debate that. However, using mobile phones in dorms… is ideal and you can not dream of stopping that. Sometimes in Zambia, authorities i.e teachers and many other gate-keepers tend to make a big deal out of nothing. The situation involving these pupils is rather unfortunate. There are so many ways of presenting their views than resorting to vandalism. The action taken by these pupils should not be encouraged at all but the use of mobile phones in dormitories needs to be re-assessed!! :-w

  9. A cell phone is a luxury it’s not a necessity last i checked cellphones don’t bring in revenue. If you think it’s a necessity tell me what harm will come from somebody not having a cellphone they will probably be precluded from certain evils. Have cellphones improved any pupils livelihood? The school authorities had reasonable cause to confiscate the phones because it’s a boarding school and dorms are still regulated school grounds. If anyting cellphones contribute to dundaheadisation of pupipls because of spelling using text speech.

  10. Times have moved on, so just deal with it. Pupils in boarding schools are entitled to some form of privacy. This issue is no brainer … whether a cell phone is a luxury/necessity does not matter. It is only through regulation that limits regarding the use of cell phones can be controlled and monitored. There is no scientific evidence to support that cellphones contribute to ..quote #31 dundaheadisation of pupils because of spelling using text speech. Although this study was conducted in the UK, London in particular, the sample used involved school leavers or those that have left school. A similar study conducted in Manchester conclude the opposite. Just monitor the use and do not ban them!!:)

  11. Time may have moved on in your head but in reality those students have rules to follow . If they do not like those rules am sure theres other school they can enrol to with your help. The issue here is not your opinion or imagination it’s teh school rules .

  12. #16, I forgive you,
    Have you been to zedi recently?I was in Zedi visiting my lovely Mum of course.I found one of my nieces suspended from school bcoz of the cellphone issue..and this is in E/P., not in Isoka. Everyone pa Zedi feels owning a cellphone is a matter of status.Students can have mobiles but let them use them at leisure time but not in Dormitories..Have you ever been to a boarding school if I may ask? There are some set school rules of how to behave in the dorm.These same students start troubling their parents for talktime.In the developed countries, cellphones are left at the admin.in a well organised way of in and out signed for…:)>-

  13. #35/#33 I agree with y’all. Although cell phones can be a nuisance at times due to misuse etc. through regulation/control like your example #35, they can be used responsibly. Banning them, is not the answer nor solution. Although I condemn whole heartedly the actions taken by the students/pupils, there is a need to find a reasonable solution to this issue. If one has to own a mobile phone in school, strict set rules should be followed failure to which the phone would be confiscated.

  14. #36,
    Some bloggers in here just talk without sense but you always make so much sense. I have follwed some of your postings.. Continue ba MAN.
    I condemn the actions of these school kids. Appropriate action should be taken.
    Scholars can not be making their own rules as if it is their fathers School. Even in their parents home their are set rules which need to be adhered to..They will never learn how vital education is until they are left in the streets and turn into Kaponyas/kabovas.

  15. Zambia is about to finish, just because the teachers can not afford cells does not mean pupils should not be allowed to take take their cell phones into the dormitories. What is the problem with new dictatorship in Zambia, even in high school. Do you want us to come and correct things. Any you can afford to pay you suckers.

  16. Mwashibukenipo bonse mukwai.

    Martworld.

    How is the morning. I’am feeling much better today.

    I support the school’s decision. Utwaiche tulechinfya ba Teacher nama phone yamutengo.

  17. I believe cell phones are for communication, how then will pupils communicate with their families and friends. AMAANO UBUBI whoever came up with that idea. If they meant during clasess kasako, not even during free time.

  18. Beleive me or not Cellphones do come in handy. I should suggest that they are left at a special place ( with a honest guard) when entering school perimeters then picked up when knocking off. Ama teacher batuma Nokia 1100 (with a torch ) have a point though. :)]

  19. its really sad that childrean are allowed to go
    with mobile phones at school its the reason why our
    educational standards have gone down.Children no longer
    have the desire for education due to lack of recreation
    facilities in schools.Teachers are not motivated so how can
    they motivate the children.Can the government look into that
    very soon if not careful zambia will become a laughing stock
    when we had the best schools.

  20. What a shame,Pupils should concentrate on how to solve Trigonometry,statistics,vectors,chemical formulaes.Let them face the law for attempted arson.
    A cell phone is roughly K200,000.00 a Zesco transformer you are talking about millions.These chaps are irresposible characters.
    Let the law of the land judge them

  21. School is school, thats the reason why most boarding schools are in the outskirts of towns.
    This is to restrict the pupils from any distruction from town and any other activities that may disturb them in any way.Why should cell phones be allowed then?People,lets be a little reasonable.Yes,phones are now a necessity,but not to a pupil who is just 17 years of age.Who do they want to communicate with?Because parents would communicate using the school lines and the school authorities would also communicate to the parents incase of anything.
    Phones should not be allowed at all.The other thing is other pupils would feel intimidated.Abash cell phones in high schools!!!!!

  22. Pupils should follow the rules,a ring tone can disturb 100 pupils sleeping.transformers are imported and cost millions of dollars.Those pupils should be discplined to set an example to others.

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