By ALICK MVULA and CHUSA SICHONE –
FOR a third day running, pupils at some schools in Kitwe protested over fake leaked examination papers they relied on prior to entering the examination rooms.
Quick action by police officers yesterday prevented the pupils from rioting in protest over a lack of genuine leaked examination papers.
Yesterday, scores of pupils from Mukuba and Mindolo Secondary schools started blocking roads with logs and rocks but police fired teargas to disperse the unruly pupils.
Kitwe police chief Lizzy Machina said police quickly moved in and dispersed the protesting pupils by firing teargas canisters to avoid any further damages.
“There have been rumours circulating that police have apprehended some pupils, these are rumours, as far as we are concerned we have not arrested any of the pupils from any school because we do not want to disturb them,” she said.
Meanhwile, Nampundwe Secondary School in Shibuyunji District has banned pupils in examination classes from wearing coats and jerseys as one measure to counter malpractices.
Nampundwe Secondary School head teacher Bridget Nambwele said in an interview yesterday that the outfits were agents of concealing leakages and that those garments were unnecessary during the hot season.
“We have not allowed any cardigan, this is October. We are not allowing wearing of jerseys, coats, no.
And we are also doing thorough searches,” she said.
Ms Nambwele said Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) had also provided a strong room to enhance security for the examination papers.