Malawi School Disco Riot

'Banning Disco nights cause Chayamba secondary school to close as students riot'
(6 November 2012, Zodiak Radio)

'Chayamba Secondary School in Malawi’s central region district of Kasungu has been closed indefinitely following violent protests by students on Friday night. Armed police officers have been patrolling school since the incident.Police have arrested 12 students in connection with property damage caused by the protests. The suspected ringleaders are likely to answer charges of causing malicious damage. Students were sent packing on Sunday morning.

The students staged violent protest after the administration announced that night disco parties were banned and that such events would be restricted to daytime.The administration claimed night disco was fueling bad behavior among students such as alcohol abuse and sex.The students have been ordered to sign a form committing themselves to pay for the cost of property damaged. The cost is yet to be established, but the school’s principal said it is in excess of millions of kwacha. Among those damaged were the administration block, girls’ hostels, dining hall, chair and computers.

Head teacher Dorothy Masudi said the school has been closed indefinitely: “As you can the state of the school learning cannot take place, it will be up to the ministry to say when we can resume classes”. The closure was ordered by the ministry of education, according to Thomas Mkandawire, an official of the Central East Education Division. Meanwhile, the administration of Rumphi Secondary School in the north is concerned at growing misconduct by students. Speaking in an interview with Zodiak, head teacher, Bentley Manda said the school has suspended nine male and female students who were found pairing in a play field during ‘odd hours.’