Legislators have requested to have the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Cain Mathema summoned to Parliament to explain measures being taken to remedy the situation in schools.
The request was triggered by videos circulating on social media, of school children exhibiting unruly behaviour, including sexual acts and drug abuse.
Government schools opened on September 28 after a long closure initiated by the Covid-19 lockdown.
Teachers have since not yet returned to their respective schools as they are still locked in wage negotiations with the government.
Addressing the issue in Parliament, Tuesday, MP for Kambuzuma Willias Madzimure said the behaviour being portrayed by learners, if not contained, will go beyond redemption and result in more girls falling pregnant.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda granted the request, citing that he will engage the minister so that a report can be delivered to the August House explaining measures being taken to rectify the situation.
Madzimure noted that as the Parliamentary Portfolio Committees were conducting public consultations, parents constantly raised concern over the conduct of school children.
“Since our children have gone to school, we have noted a number of misdemeanours that are happening there. These are things that might affect our children’s behaviour. It might come back to hound us and it might take a number of years to fix,” said MP Madzimure.
“I would like to propose that the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education comes to this House and present a report of what is transpiring in schools because we need to fix this. As we were going around the country as the Budget Committee and capturing people’s views, a number of parents were expressing concern over what is happening. They think that we do not care about the future of our children.”
Madzimure stated that the behaviour portrayed in the circulating videos is obscene and shocking.
“This is happening in schools and it is also happening on our streets. We have seen a number of girls falling pregnant and if this continues for the next two or three months it will be really bad. So my request is that the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education should come to this august House and explain what Government is doing to make sure that teachers go back to school,” he said.
