Mutharika defends phasing out JC qualification in Malawi

Malawi President Peter Mutharika has defended his controversial move to phase out Junior Certificate which was once a basic education requirement to secure a professional job in Malawi.

In responding to a question during Talk to Your President, a periodical programme broadcast on Malawi Broadcasting Corporation ‘MBC’ radio and television, Mutharika said it would help students to finish s four-secondary school education circle.

He said some students were opting to drop off because they were assured of securing a job with the JC academic qualification.

Mutharika said this compromised on their academic development.

Justifying his move Mutharika said Malawi was the only African country in Southern Africa to administer Junior Certificate examinations and take the qualification as a minimum requirement.

“The reason why my administration has phased out JCE is because it encouraged students to drop out of secondary as they were assured of getting a job,” he said.

“The idea of education is to develop students fully by completing their basic education cycle which is four years.”

He said the students would instead undergo a strenuous assessment to reach Form Four to sit for the Malawi School Certificate of Education which has replaced JE as minimum academic qualification.

Last year the DPP administration announced the phasing out of JE saying among others it would make the government to save K2 billion used in the administering the exams.

It would also save another K20 million used in printing the examination papers.

The move has come at a time that the bar has been raised for one to qualify for government colleges to study education or health courses.

For one to qualify for primary school teaching colleges needs good grades at MSCE with four credit passes including mathematics, science subjects, and English.

In the past students with JC and just a bare pass in MSCE were eligible to study at primary school teacher training colleges, police training colleges, Malawi defence colleges.

In the 70s, 80s and early 90s Primary School Leaving Certificate qualification was enough for one to be enlisted in the Malawi Defence Force.

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