Students at the Tokarara Secondary School were encouraged to learn beyond classroom teaching by reading books more often for information empowerment about their rights.
This was the key message from a team from Constitutional and Law Reform Commission (CLRC) comprising Deputy Secretary Dorothy Mimiko-Kesenga, directors and staff who visited the school this week as part of the whole-of-government effort to mark the 20 Days Human Rights Activism.
CLRC GESI section (Gender Equity and Social Inclusion) facilitated the visit.
The school was also fortunate to be presented with various CLRC publications.
“We urge you to read them to educate yourself more on the different laws and policies we have worked on but also to know who to see when in need of certain services regarding your rights,” Ms. Mimiko- Kesenga said.
Deputy Principal Lucy Lapan acknowledged CLRC for the visit and a particularly welcomed the book donation, saying it will go a long way to also serve as text books for students taking the Legal Studies subject.
The CLRC Team talked about the fundamental and qualified rights enshrined in the Constitution and CLRC’s involvement in the development of a proposed bill for persons with disability and their rights.
Ms. Mimiko-Kesenga thanked the school management for hosting them but importantly signaled out the students’ orderly approach and their interaction with the CLRC team on important human rights issues such as the betel ban and the informal sector in the city, street kids, their trend of begging and the associated education predicament, and the impact of free education on employment opportunities.
She said CLRC also took note of the students’ concerns for Legal Studies subject to be made compulsory in secondary schools, adding that the CLRC is willing to actively participate in that area to impart revenant knowledge to the students.