Livingstonia CCAP Synod demonstration against govt in Mzuzu

The clergy from Livingstonia Synod of the Church of Central Africa will march in Mzuzu on Wednesday and deliver a petition to government at the Civic Officials, Nyasa Times can reveal.

Officials at the Synod headquarters say there are a number of issues which they are petitioning the government but top of the subject is the education quota system which has seen the northern regions share of form one secondary school selection dropping to less than fifty percent.

Deputy Secretary General, Revered Maurice Munthali confirmed that there is a planned march in Mzuzu by the men in collar.

Munthali said the protestors will present a petition to government on policies which discriminate the Northern Region and its people.

“It is true that we will be conducting a march in the city of Mzuzu but the contents of the petition are still being drawn up. One issue that will not miss from the list is the education Quota System,” said Rev Munthali.

The Synod said the protest will be peaceful.

The quota system was introduced by the late despotic ruler Hastings Kamuzu Banda in 1988, on the grounds that students from northern provinces were entering institutions of higher learning in greater numbers than their compatriots from southern provinces. But the system was abolished in 1993 following a court challenge.

There was an attempt to re-introduce quotas last year but it was again rejected by the High Court. Despite the court rulings, there are plans to start quotas next year – a move supported by the President.

Harry Mkandawire (pictured),  was fired from  ruling Democratic Progressive Party when he  wrote a critical open letter questioning  President Bingu wa  Mutharika’s  endorsement of the quota  system .

“In my view, the quota system only serves to take away reward from well-deserving students. The system in the long-run will promote laziness because people will get the idea that they do not have to work hard because the government is going to take care of them,” Mkandawire said in his open letter addressed to the President. “Malawi as a country needs to address the root cause of the problem of disproportionate participation in higher education by people from different regions.”

Mkandawire  who was arrested after his scatching letter added that instead of concerning himself with the quota system wa Mutharika should instead rectify a situation that has resulted in access to higher education in Malawi being the lowest in the Southern Africa Development Community region, with 54 per every 100,000 inhabitants.

He reminded Mutharika of the court injunction against implementing the quota system, saying that ignoring it would erode the rule of law.

The university quota system has proved divisive in Malawi, with politicians, students, lecturers and even the church expressing different opinions.

Tagged with: Bingu, Livingstonia CCAP, quota system, Rev Maurice Munthali

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