Turmoilous Chati High school in Kalulushi fails to open

Pupils at Chati High School in Kalulushi have not reported for school this term for fear of being arrested after they rioted and broke school
property the previous term.

And teachers at the school have vowed not to return to classes until all the pupils who took part in the violence last term are brought to
book.

This has created so much anxiety and uncertainty among the pupils and parents who are concerned that the school calendar and pupils’
performance during examinations would be greatly affected.

Before the close of the previous term, pupils at Chati High school rioted. In the ensuing violence, the slogan chanting pupils broke
school property and burnt the house of head teacher Charles Mpofu. Mr Mpofu sustained major injuries in the inferno.

The riot was instigated by the death of a pupil who committed suicide after the school authorities refused to take her examination fees,
which were submitted late.

The Parent Teachers Associations chairperson Amon Kafwali said the pupils at Chati High School had not reported for classes although the
teachers were ready to resume lessons for the second term of the school calendar.

He said many pupils especially those in examination classes would miss out on important lessons.

Mr Kafwali said the pupils should report for lessons since the teachers whom they offended had forgiven their transgressions.

The PTA was concerned about the matter.

“I confirm that the situation at Chati High School is very bad because pupils have not been reporting for classes since the second term
started on Monday, May 7th, 2012 when the schools re-opened, but teachers are reporting for work and they are just sitting and sun
basking because there no pupils to teach.”

“I am appealing to the pupils that they should start attending classes because teachers are very willing to teach them. We have been
monitoring the situation at the school and speaking to the teachers who have been assuring that pupils were not going to be victimized in
any way despite what they did last term,’’ he said.

But the head-boy at Chati High School, Daute Mudenda said pupils had decided to stay away from school because there was a rumour that they
police would nab them following their riotous behaviour last term.

“The bad thing is that pupils such as grade nines and grade 12s are missing lessons which they should have been preparing for their
examinations later in the year.

Mudenda said it was not true that teachers were ready to resume classes for the second term. He said the teachers are not reporting
for classes even for the small number of pupils that attempted to go for lessons earlier in the week.

“As head-boy for this school, I have been going to class but the teachers are not showing up although they had been reporting for work.

“My appeal to the teachers is that they should consider their position because their action is affecting many other pupils who did not take
part in last term’s riot at the school.

‘Pupils have not yet stared reporting for classes the reason is that there is a rumour going round pupils will be arrested the moment they
start reporting for classes.