The Principal Secretary of Administration for Education who successfully negotiated with teachers to end their strike has been kicked out of the Education Ministry.
Kiswell Dakamau has confirmed his removal from the Ministry but has downplayed it as an internal matter between employer and employee.
Dakamau’s removal comes days after teachers ended their nationwide strike in which they were demanding the Lazarus Chakwera administration to give them risk allowances.
The teachers stayed away from work for two weeks as the government claimed that teachers are not considered to be at high risk hence could not be given allowances.
On Monday, Dakamau led a team from the Ministry of Education which together with Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 and the Parliamentary Committee on Education met Teachers Union of Malawi to resolve the issue.
At the meeting, a resolution was reached to consider providing teachers with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPEs) in cash-costed package as a once-off payment to cover for next three months.
Following the agreement, teachers suspended the strike and resumed work on Tuesday but Dakamau has ended up losing his job.
Dakamau’s removal is in line with Chakwera’s response to crises where he fires public officers while saving his ministers.
After looting of K6.2 billion Covid-19 funds, Chakwera fired the then chairperson of the Presidential Taskforce John Phuka while Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda who is co-chairperson of the taskforce was not removed.
Minister of Education Agnes Nyalonje also escaped removal after the leakage of MSCE exams which cost the taxpayer about K4.5 billion. Following the leakage, Chakwera demanded the firing of public officers at the Malawi National Examinations Board.
Koma abale ma ps asamapange chiganizo boma ili mmmmmm anzeru ndio okha