Minister accused of being ‘quota’ architect
Mzimba West parliamentarian Harry Mkandawire on Monday said Minister of Education, Science and Technology Emmanuel Fabiano was the one behind the introduction of quota system for selecting students to public universities.
Mkandawire made the remarks in response to a ministerial statement on the selection of students to government secondary schools.
The report was aimed at clarifying how candidates are selected to secondary schools following a query from Northern Region members of Parliament(MPs) on why Nkhata Bay Secondary School had no students from the North.
In his question, Mkandawire also asked if Fabiano was aware that the quota system was outlawed by the Supreme Court.
He also claimed the Cabinet of the former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government did not approve the system, “but people like Fabiano misled them”.
But Fabiano did not respond to the allegation and instead dwelled on stressing that since 1964, students selected to national secondary schools have come from across the country, giving an example of Minister of Finance Goodall Gondwe who is originally from Mzimba, but attended Blantyre and Dedza secondary schools.
In his point of order, Chiradzulu East MP Henry Mussa said: “He [Mkandawire] is associating the Honourable Minister of Education as being the architect of quota. I want him to substantiate those claims or withdraw the remarks.”
However, Speaker Richard Msowoya said Fabiano should have been the one to complain.
So its Ok for Northerners to attend Mwanza Secondary school in the South but not Ok for a students from Central region to attend Nkatabay Secondary school In the North? I am fed up with the selfishness of Northers. Let them become independ from rest of the country, its only 10% of the population but they want 90% of country resources. DPP should not allow this nonsense to continue.