Malawi govt cannot employ all teachers it trains – Finance Minister

Malawi government through Ministry of Education is not an automatic employer for teachers and trained in its various institutions nationwide, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe told Parliament on Monday.

Gondwe said he noted that many parliamentarians had the general impression that it was government’s responsibility to employ all teachers it trains.

“Indeed there is no reason why students being trained by government in other fields should also not demand a similar treatment. We need to start separating the role of government in providing and subsidising education for the nation and its ability to employ them.

“The latter is clearly based on the availability of resources and existence of vacancies in the service,” Gondwe said.

He made the remarks  when winding up debate on the Mid-term Budget Review Statement yesterday which he presented to the House on February 26,

Gondwe’s position comes barely weeks after government said it would recruit 10 000 teachers, out of the 19 400 qualified primary teachers.

Gondwe said government has already scaled down recruitment of staff in the civil service during the 2015/2016 financial year.

“Government has already broadly suspended recruitment in the civil service except for the social sectors and other areas in critical need of employment. This is meant to prudently manage the growth of the civil service and wage bill. Resources are available in the current budget for the recruitment of teachers, nurses and doctors,” he added.

Gondwe also said government is not automotic employer for  health workers it trains.