By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, February 21, Mana: At least 55 girls, mostly Form 2s and Form 4s at Lodjwa Community Day Secondary School in Kasungu have been rusticated for a week for protesting against the school diet.

A visit to the school on Friday found the girls flagging down vehicles along the M1 Road in search of transport to go home.

They claimed the diet at the school has been both inadequate and monotonous.

Headteacher for the school Charles Moyo explained that the students did not follow the right procedures to present their grievances to authorities.

"We were taken by surprise that there was some sort of commotion in protest against the diet today morning.

"Ideally, we expected the students to first report to us so that we find means of handling the matter. But their first step was to stage a protest," he said.

Moyo added that the learners' behaviour was strange and posed a risk to the school structures.

"To avoid the worst scenario, we called the police who managed to calm the situation.

"As management, we have agreed together with the Parents Teachers Association to send the students home for a week," he said.

Both the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Mphatso Nkuonera and the Education Division Manager for Central East Education Division, Charles Mthote were not available for comment.