The Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) has called on Malawi Government to promote teachers, saying delays to promote teachers demotivates them and affects quality of education.
Treasure General for Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) Mr. Bresters Nyirenda made the remarks on Wednesday during commemoration of World Teachers Day in Mzuzu.
He said some teachers have used their low salaries to upgrade their education but are yet promoted by the Malawi Government.
“The most important issue that teachers are crying about is lack of promotion because a good number of teachers have stayed quite number of years without being promoted”, said Nyirenda.
Commenting on the same, President for Secondary School Teachers Association (SSTA) Pilirani Kapolo said the life of a teacher out there is so hard because the teachers are failing to make ends meet due with current economic challenges.
“Some of challenges that teachers are facing are high teacher-students ration which is 1-60 and is more than the recommended 1-40, unpaid arrears, lack of accomodation and lack of hardship salaries which the government is failing to pay teachers who work in hard to reach areas,” said Kapolo.
He added that the union is always pushing the ministry of education to implement the plans like on issues to do with accommodation for government to have a project that will focus on building teachers houses, salaries like hardship allowances.
Minister of Education Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima said government is working on challenges that teachers are facing.
“Government acknowledges the pivotal role teachers play in the education sector and recognises the importance of motivating them through promotions to ensure that they deliver high education which our children deserve,” Wirima said.
World Teachers Day is celebrated on 5 October but Malawi has commemorated on 18th October, 2023 under the theme “Teachers For Education We Want”.
