A local northern region-based organization, Youth for Action Campaign (YAC) and community members in Karonga South constituency, has hailed the area’s Member of Parliament (MP), Uchizi Mkandawire for rescuing students who were at risk of not sitting for Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) examinations this year after their guardians failed to pay the fees.
The said needy students are among those who will sit for Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE), Junior Certificate of Examination (JCE) and Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) exams.
Soon after hearing the report at national level, MP Mkandawire, through his network managed to trace a list of such students in his area.
Speaking in a telephone interview from Lilongwe, the Youths and Sports Minister Mkandawire denied to have done that as a campaign tool. According to Mkandawire, he did that as an education champion in the area.
“It is my wish to have many graduates in my constituency as well as Malawi as whole. An educated society is developed. And after hearing the news, I thought of bailing them out,” said Mkandawire.
He then urged the beneficiaries to work extra hard and pass the exams in order to become responsible citizens.
Lilian Mwamuliska, one of the concerned guardians, said she failed to pay for the exams due to the economic hardship she is facing.
“Honestly, I almost gave up. My child is a hardworking. She is performing well at school but I told her that she will write her JCE exams next year. It was not easy for her to accept. But after hearing this news, my child and I were very excited. We say thank you honourable,” she narrated.
Chief Executive Officer for Youth for Action Campaign (YAC), Jackson Msiska whose organization was on forefront pressurizing MANEB to extend the deadline, commended the MP for the development.
Msiska said his organization will continue to fight for a suitable environment for education in the country.
He said what his organization want is for government to remove Standard 8 exams fees and reduce the JCE and MSCE examination fees.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Education says it is following with keen interest the debate that has risen in the country for the government to scrap the payment of fees for national examinations.
