Government engages stakeholders on teachers’ risk allowance demand

Ministry of Education has said teachers, who have been asking for Covid-19 risk allowance consideration, will have to wait a little longer for response as the matter is still under discussion.

Teachers demand for risk allowance attracted a heat debate, resulting in bad blood between teachers and journalists George Kasakula of Times Media and Kondwa Banda of Mibawa Television.

The two journalists are believed to have separately said in their TV programs that government should not bother providing risk allowances to teachers as they don’t deserve them.

This did not go down well with teachers, who resorted to demanding an apology from the two journalists.

But speaking at a news conference in Lilongwe, where it wa also announced that schools will re-open on 7 September 2020, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Chikondano Mussa said they engaging other relevant authorities to ably come up with a resolution on teachers’ call for risk allowance.

“The matter is still under discussion as it does not fall solely under the ambit of Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

“The nation will be notified of the progress on this issue as soon as the discussions are concluded” said Mussa at the presser, jointly organised by Ministry of Education and Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19.

However, this has attracted mixed reactions, with some teachers saying government should have announced the dates for re-opening of schools after the conclusion of the matter.

Writing on Facebook, Shadrick Banda argued that the matter does not require any discussion, but implementation as done in other government departments and agencies, including the Malawi Prison Service.

Philip Kumpeni wrote, “Are the stakeholders discussing the amount to be given or the necessity of the Risk Allowance?

“Why is it taking longer to speak the same language with Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM)?”

The Ministry has adopted a phased approach for the re-opening of schools, priotizing with examination classes.

Phase one will see standard 8 and Form 4 students returning to school on 7th September.

Others falling in the phase are all final year students at colleges, IPTE 14 and examination classes for schools that offer International Curriculum.

According to the Ministry, colleges, Universities and schools that offer International curriculum will be allowed to take the second phase of students after three weeks from the day of re-opening.

All colleges and Universities will have to decide on which groups to go first in consultation with the Ministry since these were at different stages.

Primary, secondary and Teacher Training Colleges will reopen during the second phase on Monday, 12th October and falling in this category; Standards 5 to 7; Forms 1 to 3; Standards 1 to 4; and Initial Primary Teacher Education (IPTE 15).

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