Teachers to run MSCE using their own hard earned money again

Jun 22, 2017 Politics 57
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Malawi exams

Teachers’ troubles continue as Malawi Examinations Board (Maneb) has told them that they will invigilate Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations without receiving their allowances in advance.

According to a letter from Maneb Acting executive director Jack Chalimba addressed to District Education Managers across the country, teachers will get their allowances when the funds are available.

Malawi exams
There are no funds to pay MSCE invigilators.

“We have no funds now to enable us pay allowances. We expect that administrators of the 2017 Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations will continue to carry out their tasks.

“Please inform officers that payments will be done as soon as funds become available. Please plead with the concerned officers,” reads the letter from Chalimba.

However, an angry teacher from Blantyre has lambasted Maneb for treating the invigilators as slaves saying invigilating examinations is tough work and it is made harder when the teachers have not received their money in advance.

“I think this is not constitutional. I have done this before, ntchito imakhalako (the work is tough) and worse still without money. These guys amatiwonerera aphunzitsife or ifeyo aphunzitsi tinapangisa Maneb and its government kuti azitiwonelera (Maneb exploits us or maybe it’s we the teachers who allowed Maneb and government to be abusing us). I am very sick of this slavery habit,” said the teacher.

When asked if they budget for the teachers’ allowances at the start of each financial year, Maneb spokesperson Simeon Maganga said the funds they set aside in the budget are mere estimates and in many cases circumstances change which forces the board not to pay the teachers in good time.

“For instance, in 2015 we budgeted for allowances at flat rates K10,000 for residents and K6,000 for commuters regardless of grades. Unfortunately, a decision was made later in the year to pay exam administrators according to their entitlements i.e. graduates starting at K15,000 and above.

“This money wasn’t in the budget but they had to be paid. While healing from these wounds, another budget estimate was hit by increase in subsistence allowance i.e. from K15,000 to K20,000. This wasn’t again in the budget. Mind you, every Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) has its ceiling within which to budget. So, any deficit in one fiscal year eats up funds meant for the incoming fiscal year hence having perennial problem,” said Maganga.

He however said in the 2017/18 financial year they will make sure that things normalise and teachers are paid in good time.

On why they do not use the examination fees they collect from candidates to pay the teachers, Maganga said exams in Malawi are heavily subsidised such that candidates pay only 20 percent of what it requires to manage the exams.

“Test item development, moderation, printing, delivery, invigilation, security, collection, marking, benchmarking, notification of results printing, certificate printing require more money than the K800 that a candidate pays as subject fee,” he said.

“The Kenya National Examinations Council charges at market value which is equivalent of over K15,000. And if we are to follow suit, a candidate could be paying as high as K120,000 to sit for MSCE exam. How many can manage that considering that some are even failing to pay K7,000 for school fees?”

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57 Comments

  4. zanu izo,norman z busy kusaka nsipu wobiriwira ndinakusiiran the dziko lanulo lofoiralo.Even if you can go 2 xool any how u always end up 2b nobody panopano malawi wangofika pa the very hot of africa wachoka paja pa warm heart of africa

  7. and next year n the year afta next year n other year……n……..till 4eva it Wil b like this…..they neva plan despite much experience

  19. Tikamayamba ntchito sitidyelatu malipilo timaenela kukhetsa kaye thukuta tikatha kukhetsa thukuta kumasala ndikulipidwa kmanso palibe njila yacidule yopezela ndalama

  22. Allowances need to be paid in time.MALAWI is stil a failing country .in every sector ,nothing goes well without some problems that always there due to poor leadership…. .any way ,we can keep complaining but we cant change anything.what is done is done. We need to think of ways to overcome it. To make a better malawi and well advanced.

  30. We Malawians are stupidest people of all, all we know best is complaining, blaming each other, pointing figures at each other instead of reunite, contributing ideas to deal with that issue and when things are going on well, we don’t know how to appreciate.

  31. Favour Nanyallo Kennedy Tanazio Jessy Manda Ethel Thole Razarus Tembo Felister Gaven Salamanca Kassim Inno Chewazi Josephy WA Pakizan Benadeta Mbewe Recho Denis Kimario Arice Wa Bandah Jimmy Biziweck

  37. Akane ndithu AZIPHUNZITSI amenewa ine zikundisangalatsa kwambiri coz AZIPHUNZITSI athuwa amagwiritsidwa ntchito ngati NG’OMBE YAPANGOLO yoti kugwira ntchito m’mawa mpaka madzulo koma POKAGONA MALIPILO AKE NKUKHALA MAKOKO.VERY SHAMEFUL

  38. Why Malawi has poor planning always and in my view I think they should have resources available for the Teachers even amati work then pay comes later but it’s obvious azalandilaso mochedwa after exams end

  46. Thanks anabera ma vote aja samenewa mulungudi simuthu, they were used to rig elections now they are dumped in rubbish bin, hope they won’t do it again let them suffer. Stupid teachers

    1. Hahaha I like this post.They are paying for their foolishness.Punish them hard they dont learn these teachers.More fire DPP Make these teachers learn a hard way. Hahaha

    2. Dumped like a used condom,Izi ndizimene timati kutira tameki musima kuti wina adye osadziwa kuti iwenso udya nsima yomweyo

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