Chihana wants to meet Chakwera over poor selection of students to public secondary schools

Alliance for Democracy (Aford) president Enoch Chihana says he has engaged President Lazarus Chakwera over the poor selection of students to public secondary schools during the primary school leaving certificate results.

Chihana says in a statement that he has engaged Chakwera on the issue regarding selection of Standard 8 learners to various government secondary schools.

“The AFORD president is requesting all  AFORD members and all concerned Malawians to have patience as we all wait for action to be taken by government on the concerns that have come from the general public on the inequalities of selection criteria to national secondary schools,” says a statement from his personal assistant, David  Katete.

Recently,  Ministry of Education in conjunction with Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb) released the 2020 Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examination results, with only 37.7 percent of deserving learners selected to public secondary schools.

Minister of Education Agnes NyaLonje said government needs about K2.85 trillion to significantly alleviate the secondary school space challenges that is depriving learners of their right to education.

To double the transition rate from 37.73 percent to 76 percent,  she said the country needs 949 new secondary schools which translates to 11 388 classrooms and 5 694 classroom blocks. Each school is estimated to cost K13 billion, meaning government will have to spend K2.85 trillion.

She explained that the 250 United States Agency for International Development-supported secondary schools will create 1 000 classrooms by 2023. Currently, 44 of these schools have been completed and by the end of  2021, an additional 40 schools will be completed.