Newly Recruited Blantyre Urban Teachers Cry Foul Over Delayed Salaries

Newly recruited primary school teachers under the Blantyre Urban Education Office have raised alarm over the authorities’ failure to pay them their September salaries, despite having reported for duty at the beginning of the month.

Speaking to Nyasa Times on condition of anonymity, some of the affected teachers expressed deep frustration, saying they were assured that their first salaries would be paid by the end of September. To their disappointment, no payment has been made to date.

“We started work on 3rd September, 2025, and were promised our first salary at the end of the month. Our colleagues recruited in Nsanje, Chikwawa, Blantyre Rural and other district councils have already been paid. But here in Blantyre Urban, officials are telling us that we will only receive our September dues as arrears at a later date,” lamented one of the disgruntled teachers.

The delay has left many of the new recruits stranded financially, with some saying they are struggling to cover basic necessities such as food, rent, and transport. “We are already sacrificing a lot in these challenging economic times. To work for a whole month without pay is unfair and demoralizing,” added another teacher.

Efforts to get a comment from Blantyre Urban Chief Education Officer proved futile, as he was not immediately available to respond to the matter.

The development has sparked anger among education stakeholders, who argue that such delays defeat the very purpose of government’s mass recruitment drive. In recent months, the Ministry of Education announced the hiring of over 26,000 primary school teachers under the Initial Primary Teacher Education (IPTE 14–18) programme, aimed at addressing the high pupil-teacher ratio in public schools.

However, education experts warn that salary delays risk undermining morale and performance among the new recruits. “Teachers are the backbone of the education system. If they are not motivated and supported, the quality of education will suffer,” one education analyst told Nyasa Times.

The teachers have since called on the Ministry of Education and Treasury authorities to urgently intervene, process their arrears without further delay, and ensure that Blantyre Urban Education Office is held accountable for what they describe as discriminatory and negligent treatment.

With Malawi’s education sector already under pressure from overcrowded classrooms, low learning outcomes, and inadequate resources, analysts say the government cannot afford to demotivate its newest workforce at the very beginning of their service.