Malawi govt says merit used in secondary schools: ‘No quota system’

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has clarified that selection of students into public secondary schools has been done strictly on merit.

Saidi: Education ministry conducts selection activity wearing national lenses

The ministry said in a statement made available to Nyasa Times by Principal Secretary Justin Saidi that the selection of Form One students to national secondary schools has not segregated children from the northern region as being claimed by others.

The statement said 42% of students who passed the  Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) in the northern region were selected, 37.4 % from central region and 35% from southern region.

The ministry dismissed the accusation that it used quota system of selecting students to public schools.

“It is important to note that national secondary schools, as the name connotes,  are national, as such they do not belong to a division or region and those deserving are allocated to any of these ,” Saidi said.

“It should be appreciated that national secondary schools further north have more students from the North than from other divisions. Similarly, national secondary schools further South have more students from the South than from other divisions, and the Central Region has a blend of all divisions and or both the Southern and Northern region,” reads the statement in part.

The PS urged Malawians not to sensationalise and politicise national interest information.

“Ministry approaches selection exercise with great professionalism, seriousness and ample measure if sobriety.

“Above all, the ministry conducts selection activity wearing national lenses,” said Saidi.

He said government’s intervention to build 250 secondary schools   with seven earmarked for each of the country’s 28 district and 100 Community Day Secondary Schools, “access to quality secondary education will greatly improve”.

Education activist Limbani Nsapato also said Ministry of Education was right that “there is no quota system in selecting students to secondary schools in Malawi. “

He wrote on social media: “Government uses merit, proximity and economic principles in selecting those that have passed PSLCE to secondary schools. Let’s not politicize everything.”

Breaking down the 2019 secondary school selection district and per region, Nsapato noted that “the North has lions share, south has the sheep share. Congrats to the North for the highest selection percentage, even though the North had lowest PSLCE pass rate of the three regions.”

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Kandabongoman
Kandabongoman
4 years ago

Saidi we know you as a dangerous tribalist. you will pay heavily when the uprising begins!

HUU
HUU
4 years ago

Am from Southern region and my wife is from the North . My kid selected so the north and south benefit Stop dividing the Nation MCP

Malemia
Malemia
4 years ago
Reply to  HUU

we look at a bigger picture not just your family you shallow-minded fool

Shocker
Shocker
4 years ago

So what was wrong with the previous system used in selecting pupils into public secondary schools when more pupils from the north especially girls were selected to schools in center? We used to have more pupils from the north selected to Schools like Lilongwe girl, Likuni girls even Manda girl. The problem is that whenever a system disadvantages the south it is changed to give them an advantage. Then you start lying to us that you were condiering, proximity and economic principles. All that criteria is aimed at giving advantage to the one region while disadvantaging the other. Watch out!

jakison laanje
jakison laanje
4 years ago

I am not sure with what is the problem with MCP. They want to divide Malawi. Does MCP know that many Malawians from north and central regions live in the south and they have made the south their home. They have businesses there. Maybe the Ministry should release the names and district of origin. I bet you will see that many are from the north and central. The southern kids are busy plucking tea. Remember, they don’t go to school. So, how come you now claim the southern kids have been selected to most secondary schools.

National CEO
National CEO
4 years ago

It’s very clear. The best pupil came from the southern region. The southern region performed well. That old thinking of saying Northerners are inteligent is bad. We are all equal. No tirbe is above another. This is what we, all Malawians are fighting for (equality). Let’s avoid being greedy and wanting all the best to be on our sides.. We are all equal before the cross of Jesus.

Malemia
Malemia
4 years ago

palibe chanzeru amakamba ps ameneyu. siuja anachita promote anthu omwalira uja ameneyi? mbava ya dpp

Hate it or take it but it's a fact

Why not selecting Northerners to Blantyre secondary schools only selecting Southerners to both Central and Northern school, that’s why people are saying Quota system was used.

So just shut your stinking mouth Saidi

BENEFICIARY OF KOTA SYSTEM
BENEFICIARY OF KOTA SYSTEM
4 years ago

NOTED!!!

Malemu Tippex Arthur P Stole K145 million

Watch out for dpp motives. The aim is to wipe out other tribes and make Lomwes as a super tribe. This is what the Tutsi had been doing prior to the 1994 genocide. Though the Hutus were in majority the Tsutsi held most influential position and that led to uprising by the Hutu who killed 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Pitala is dangerous and he is taking Malawi towards that. Muluzi doesn’t recognise this. We all Malawians must say no to this evil. Malawians must remain united. Malawians must not listen to these selfish individuals who are about to die.… Read more »

Pitala
4 years ago

A Saidi musaname. This has been happening since DPP came to power only that this time you have been exposed. The fact that the South had the highest population of pupils who sat for PSLC does not mean that you should base your pass rate on that..

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