Ministry of Education  call on teachers to resume work

The Ministry of Education has issued a statement requesting all teachers in public primary and secondary schools and Teachers’ Training Colleges (TTCs) to resume work on Monday, March 1 2021 for teaching and learning to commence.

Teachers have been staging a sit-in since last week, demanding Covid-19 risk allowances.

However, government, through the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19, which is claimed to be handling and facilitating all issues to do with Covid-19 funds, turned down teachers’ request.

Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) president Willie Malimba told local media on Sunday, 28 February 2021 that public school teachers will not return to work Monday unless government commits to pay them Covid-19 risk allowance.

Malimba’s position contradicts a statement some TUM executive committee members issued in Lilongwe on Friday, calling off the strike pending talks with the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19.

Malimba claimed he was in touch with the teachers’ representatives nationwide, pointing out that they are aware that the strike is continuing.

But government maintains in a statement, signed by Kiswell Dakamau—Principal Secretary (Administration) in the Ministry, the issue of teachers’ risk allowances was referred to and addressed by the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 and that the outcome of these two meetings was immediately communicated to all Teachers and the public.

However, Dakamau says his ministry is committed to continued engagement with TUM and to ensuring Teachers’ welfare, which he claimed, is one of the Ministry’s Reform areas being given the highest priority.

“In addition, the Ministry wishes to announce that it is in the final stages of establishing the Teachers’ Council of Malawi, whose mandate is to address issues of Teacher professionalism and welfare among other things.

“The Ministry would like to request all Education Division Managers (EDMs), Directors of Education, Youth and Sports (DEYS) and District Education Managers (DEMs) in Councils, and Head Teachers to ensure that learning commences in earnest on Monday, 1st March, 2021,” requests Dakamau.

The statement concludes by requesting all Head Teachers to maintain Teachers’ attendance registers for inspection by the officials from Directorate of Education Quality Assurance Services (DQAS) formerly known as Directorate of Inspectorate and Advisory Services (DIAS) together with its sub-national structures based in Education Divisions, Districts and Zones.