Matero Suspension Justified

National Union of Public and Private Educators of Zambia backs school’s firm action, warns against rising indiscipline among pupils

By Francis Maingaila ♥️
Lusaka, Zambia24 -- (9/4/2026) -- The National Union of Public and Private Educators of Zambia (NUPPEZ) has justified the suspension of over 200 pupils at , backing management’s decision and opposing acts of indiscipline in schools, stating that the learners deliberately defied a clearly communicated and mandatory school programme.

NUPPEZ Executive President Victor Muyumba described the pupils’ conduct as unacceptable, noting that the school acted within its rights in responding firmly to what he termed a clear disregard for authority.

The suspensions follow an incident during the Easter period in which more than 200 learners failed to attend a scheduled school mass.

Mr. Muyumba said school rules exist to guide behaviour and maintain order, stressing that learners who deliberately ignore such regulations must be prepared to face the consequences. 

He added that indiscipline of this nature should not be tolerated in any serious learning environment.

He further expressed concern at the scale of the incident, noting that the collective decision by a large number of pupils to defy a clearly communicated programme reflects a worrying lack of respect for school leadership and shared values.

According to a statement issued to the media, Mr. Muyumba warned that failure to decisively address such behaviour risks setting a dangerous precedent that could weaken discipline across the education system.

However, the union has appealed to authorities at to exercise reasonable leniency in any further action, emphasising the need to ensure that the academic progress of the affected pupils is not permanently disrupted.