MASSHA for professionalism among teachers
Secondary school headteachers in the country have committed to enhancing professionalism among teachers in a quest to improve quality of education in secondary schools.
The headteachers were meeting on Monday at Bluewaters Hotel in Salima where they were launching a constitution that will be guiding the affairs of Malawi Secondary School Headteachers Association (MASSHA).
MASSHA is professional body that aims at promoting professional development of headteachers, participating in policy formulation at secondary school level, undertaking educational research, publishing journals and/or newsletters and disseminating professional literature, among some of its objectives.
It also collaborates with the Ministry of Education, Teaching Service Commission (TSC), Malawi Institute of Education (MIE), Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM), Secondary School Teachers Union (SESTU), National Library Services (NLS), tertiary institutions and registered Non-Governmental Organisations in the promotion, development and implementation of government educational programmes.
At the event, government through Director of Administration in the Ministry of Education, James Manyetera, advised secondary school headteachers in the country to desist from involvement in partisan politics and instead concentrate on their core duty of transforming the nation through inculcating necessary knowledge to the Malawian student.
“MASSHA should always be apolitical and at no point shall the association veer off its path and start behaving contrary to the dictates of this document [the newly launched constitution].
“Whereas unions are there for the welfare of teachers, MASSHA should at all times concentrate on the professional side of the teachers,” remarked Manyetera.
At the same event, a new national executive committee was also elected. Pascal Chitundu who heads Chinsapo Secondary School in Lilongwe was elected President while Christopher Nyasulu from Katoto Secondary School in Mzuzu was elected Vice President.
Hartley Kaluwa is the Secretary General with Caroline Mbewe as his vice. Ronnex Banda is the Treasurer General while Steve Kungala is the Publicity Secretary.
The post of Resource Mobilisation Coordinator went to Boston Nkhoma while that of Programmes Coordinator went to Leah Mzambaza. Wezzie Kacheche Banda who heads Lupaso Community Day Secondary School in Mzuzu was elected Gender Coordinator.
In his acceptance speech, the new president, Pascal Chitundu, called for cooperation among headteachers in order to promote MASSHA agenda.
“We need to cooperate for us to be able to promote professionalism among all teachers and to enhance management capacity. We also have a duty to form and strengthen linkages between MASSHA and other like-minded associations. Above all, we, together with all teachers in secondary schools, ought to be professional at all time when discharging our duties,” said Chitundu.
MASSHA Gender Coordinator, Wezzie Kacheche Banda, told Nyasa Times that the constitution that was launched was very vital in guiding the affairs of MASSHA.
“You see, an association cannot run smoothly without a constitution. This will be our blue print to make sure we are operating within our jurisdiction,” she said.
Quizzed on how important MASSHA is when there are already a number of associations dealing with teachers, Kacheche Banda said headteachers were the hub of professionalism in secondary schools.
“The other associations you are talking about mostly tackle other issues and not necessarily professionalism. MASSHA is largely about professionalism and management capacity. Headteachers are the hub of professionalism in all secondary schools in our country,” explained Kacheche Banda.
Schools are expected to open for the 2022 academic session on 4th January, 2022. Meanwhile, the public is patiently waiting for results of the 2021 Primary School Leaving Certificate Examinations (PSLCE) and the Junior Certificate Examinations (JCE).
The Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) Examinations are currently being marked in Zomba.
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