Malawi teachers to strike July 9 to demand their arrears: To affect MSCE exams
Teachers in public primary and secondary schools are demanding arrears worth K1.7 billion dating back to 2010 from government and have threatened to go on a nationwide sit-in on July 9 this year.
Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) has said the strike has been organised to force government to meet the obligation of paying the teachers their dues.
The strike may affect administration of the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations which starts Thursday, June 21 2018.
TUM has informed Ministry of Education, Science and Technology principal secretary Justin Saidi, expressing dissatisfaction over lack of progress on the issues.
The letter signed by TUM secretary General Charles Kumchenga, president Willie Malimba and treasurer general Ernest Chirwa was also coped to Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
“All these years, government has been talking of auditing as a scapegoat and TUM is tired of being cheated and blame games,” reads part of the latter seen by Nyasa Times.
TUM said in the letter that most of the arrears were accrued “three/four years ago and would have been paid to teachers sometime back.”
Ministry of Education spokesperson Lindiwe Chide referred the matter to Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, saying in view of decentralisation, the former is now responsible for issues such as teachers’ pay.
But Local Government ministry spokeswoman Muhlabase Mughogho insists they are only responsible for primary school teachers.
Commentators implore government o pay the arrears, saying the task of improving the quality of education lies in motivating the teachers.
They argue that the way authorities treat the teacher in Malawi is very mean.
Government has been urged to realise the importance of teachers and what their strike could mean in the entire education system.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :