Karonga teachers on strike : Demanding Malawi govt to pay arrears, leave grants

Over 70 primary school teachers of Mwenitete zone in Karonga the northern part of Malawi have on gone on sit-in strike due to the government failure to give them their 2013 to 2014 arrears and leave grant of about K1 million.

Acting Primary Education Advisor (PEA) of the area Doreen Kaunda told Nyasa Times on Friday that teachers in her area have stopped teaching the whole of this week following the 14 days petition which they gave government to address their grievances..

According to Kaunda the development has affected over nine thousand leaners of the area as the teachers have strongly denied to resume to work despite requested by the District Education Manager to do so as government is still considering their petition.

Meanwhile the District Education Manager Scotch Kondowe admitted having received the petition but says was ignorant on the strike.

“After we received the petition we engaged the teachers of Mwenitete zone to brief them on how government is going to give them their arrears and the leave grants of 2013, 2014 and 2015, so on the issue that they have stop working is news to me because as of now government have started paying some teachers in the district,” said Kondowe.

But the teachers said they have not started receiving the money.