Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) president Willy Malimba says teachers should not return to work on Monday as their concerns are yet to be addressed but the Ministry of Education has urged teachers to start working and has warned that it will start inspecting attendance registers.
Malimba has told teachers in public schools that the strike over risk allowances is not over. According to Malimba, only the TUM president and General Secretary have power to call off a strike.
Teachers started striking on Monday last week but government told them that it cannot give them risk allowances. On Thursday, some TUM leaders led by second vice president Rehema Haridi suspended the strike saying their concerns were being addressed.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education through Principal Secretary Kiswell Dakamau has released a statement today requesting teachers to go back to work tomorrow.
Dakamau has argued that the ministry already resolved the issues that are under its remit and a decision on the issue of risk allowances was also announced by the Presidential Taskforce on Coronavirus.
He has since asked Education Division Managers, Directors of Education, District Education Managers and Head teachers to ensure learning resumes tomorrow.
“In this regard, all Head teachers are requested to maintain teachers’ attendance registers for inspection by officials from Directorate of Education Quality Assuarance Services (DQAS) together with subnational structures,” said Dakamau.
