Education expert doubts government  will employ 10, 000 teachers

An education expert has doubted government’s announcement that it intends to recruit 10, 000 primary school and secondary teachers now,
saying this might be a ploy just to buy time ahead of the 2019 elections.

Civil Society on Education Network executive director Benedict Kondowe said the teachers, who graduated from various colleges two years ago, have not been employed yet.

“What the ministry has said is that all teachers should report to their nearest education district office and fill the GP 1 forms. They can fill the forms and be told to go home and wait until next year,” said Kondowe.

He said the teachers should have been told to go and fill the forms and immediately get posted.

“This might be just be a ploy by the government to buy time,” he said.

But ministry of Education spokesperson Lindiwe Chide said the government has the money to pay the teachers after the passing of the national budget.

“The government already budgeted for the employment of the teachers in the budget. They will be employed very soon in this financial year,” said Chide.

The issue of creation of employment has been a hot campaign issue in the run up to the 2019 general election after vice president Saulos
Chilima who is now the president of the United Transformation Movement said he would create one million jobs once voted into power next year.

President Peter Mutharika has already challenged Chilima on this, saying this is impossible.