By Synd Kalimbuka
Over 180 primary school teachers who were marking 2020 Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examination in Zomba have expressed concern over the amount of money Malawi National Examination Board (MANEB) is giving them after completion of the two-week exercise.
According to one of the concerned teachers, Julius Mtenje, MANEB promised to hike the 2020 marking allowance from the last year amount of K77, 800.
“Instead of fulfilling their promises of hiking the marking allowance, the board is offering us K67, 350 which is lower than those they received last year,” said Mtenje.
Concerned teachers who have been marking PSLCE at Residential Training Centre (RTC) in Zomba are also demanding the examination board to honour its promises of providing them Covid-19 allowances for the exercise.
In addition to the said concerns, the money they are offering to them is not enough regarding time they work which is from 4am to 9pm.
It was also reported that MANEB promised to be giving K1, 000 transport refund daily to those who commuted to work but the promise was not fulfilled it.
MANEB officials came to address the teachers but failed because it appeared they had not gone with convinced decision.
Some teachers also revealed that MANEB officials have been calling them in the afternoon to meet at their offices to discuss on the matter but they refused to go arguing that they should discuss at the RTC in presence of all teachers.
One of them confided with us that they will withhold the marked papers unless their grievances are resolved.
When contacted on several attempts, MANEB Spokesperson Mayamiko Chiwaya did not respond to the calls.
Recently, government suspended the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) after the leakage of some examination papers.
