Malawi government deploys 10,000 primary school teachers

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has recruited 10,000 Initial Primary Teacher Education 8 (IPTE8) and Open Distance Learning 3 (ODL3) primary school teachers to various public primary schools across the country.

In a statement, Acting Secretary for Education, Science and Technology, Charles Msosa, said the teachers are expected to fill existing vacancies in various public primary schools across the country effective April 1, 2016.

“The ministry would, therefore, like to request the teachers to go to the nearest District Education Office or Teacher Training College to find out where they have been deployed,” said Msosa through the statement.

He added that the teachers should then immediately report to the district where they have been posted to fill GP1 Forms and undergo other recruitment procedures.

“It is, therefore, imperative that the exercise of filling forms should be completed by 4th March 2016. Failure by teachers to report to assigned duty stations will be construed that the concerned teachers are no longer interested to be employed by government through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology,” said Msosa.

He, therefore, advised the District Education Managers to take personal interest in making sure that the process of filling various forms is done with speed and accuracy.

“Teachers are advised to handle issues related to their deployment at district level with their respective District Education Managers. Anybody who comes to headquarters will not be attended to,” he said.

Meanwhile, Secretary for Teachers Union in Malawi, Denis Kalekeni, said although they would be an addition of 10,000 teachers, the deployment of these primary teachers is not enough.

“There are a few teachers in remote areas of the country. I was in Chitipa district, for instance I found a school of eight classes against three teachers. So the 10,000 is not going to suffice. We have been pressurizing the ministry of education to also employ IPTE9 and ODL4 student…

“But the ministry says they are two things they need to finalise with that group. We shall keep on discussing with the ministry of education in case in the course of the year they will recruit these teachers,” said Kalekeni.