Schoolchildren protests, Malawi teachers union suspends sit in
Teachers Union of Malawi has suspended a sit in strike after schoolchildren as young as seven years old protested in Malawi’s capital Wednesday, urging the government to address the concerns of their teachers
The children, from schools around the city, were protesting on their own, without being accompanied by police.
Clad in school uniforms, the students blocked roads, causing traffic jams as they chanted songs calling on the government to meet the teachers’ grievances.
TUM secretary general Dennis Kalekeni said union officials have seen letters that the Department of Human Resources has written all Grade K teachers who succesfully passed the Grade K interviews in 2013 but their promotions were put on hold.
“The government has promoted them and put them on non established positions until someone leaves that position.
Treasury has already released K103 million for their arrears.
Kalekeni also said TUM officials have seen evidence that Treasury has released money to Maneb for payment of Malawi School Certificate of Education examinations, saying both the arrears and invigilation fees would be paid starting September end.
He asked teachers to resume work and “give government the benefit of the doubt.”
He however warned if the government was merely bluffing and backtracks, the sit in would come back in full swing next month of October.
“[If] government plays dilly dallying, and thinks that the suspension of the strike can give them the audacity to fail to implement [teachers’ demands], the Teachers Union of Malawi shall have no choice but to revive the strike,” Kalekeni warned.
The teachers are pushing the government to pay back salaries owed to those who were promoted in 2013, and for the promotion of other teachers deserving of advancement.
Kalekeni also stressed a timeline for the union’s demands.
“We need to see that in the month end of September, teachers have been uploaded on the payroll for their arrears,” he said. “We want to see that by October, teachers have been [upgraded].”
Education Ministry spokesperson Manfred Ndovi said officials are committed to meeting the teachers’ demands by November.
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Children from poor families demonstrate while children from rich (Politicians) family they are in classes at mount Sinai, kamuzu academy, saint Andrews. do you you think uphawi uzatha? olemela azingokhola omwemwewo. this is very pathetic ana azilonda, garden boy from tsiliza,kauma,mtandile. yheir parent cant afford to pay at very expensive schools as you do.lipilani aphunzitsi kuti mwina tichepese umbuli.
Kalekeni is not only stupid and foolish but also idiotic. How can he call off strike because he has been included to attend a UN meeting as Malawi delegate. He feels people will take him seriously next month if he tells them to go on strike again. Unless you are completely ignorant of government machinery, you can believe someone can get arrears after government allowed it on 14 th day of the month. Zidzakupha ndalama za ziphuphu Kalekeni, stupid idiot
Denis Kalakeni is not someone teachers should trust. Iyetu ndi mthira kuwiri.
Its high time TUM went for elections to elect new managerial team. Izi za a Dennis Kalekenizi ndi nyimbo yoimbidwa chaka ndi chaka. We need a vibrant team to address this allowance problem once and for all, otherwise we are tired of this tune.
This is the generation that will put Malawi back on track. Greedy politicians should be ready to dance once these children realise they are being robbed.
For having inconsiderate leaders, we are building a generation that will think problems are solved after demonstrations and they will always be destroying properties – we need proactive and not reactive leaders
That’s the way to go. Just strike if they refuse to listen
Was Chakwera not among the demonstrating pupils paja amakonda ma Demo?
Anawo awatuma ndi a opposition kuti ayipitse mbiri yabwino ya boma
Mbiri yaboma la satanic. And ana amenewa ndi ana a otsutsa boma chifukwa ana a anthu a DPP anali kuphunzira bwinobwino
Mr Denis Kalekeni i believe teachers stopped listening from you a long time ago, you had been saying the same things without chenicheni for a long period of time and yet nothing is changing on the ground. I think you are a Government purppet and manipulator. You talk too much and produce less. Believe me if you may get views from many teachers on board, they can openly tell you dont stand for them but Governmet. You are a conflict of interest, a controvetiallity, a confussionist and non directional man who is serving few individuals interest, i believe sooner or… Read more »