There is growing discontent among tutors in community technical colleges over issues of salaries.
According to the information The Sunday Times has, the government usually delays paying workers at the community colleges. Some of the workers are yet to receive their salary for March, nine days after the month ended.
The tutors are saying they are at risk of being evicted from the houses they are renting. Some are also complaining that they have no food.
In frustration, some tutors have stopped going to work, a thing which is disturbing learning.
One of the tutors who spoke on condition of anonymity said he is finding the going tough.
“Since community technical colleges started, we, lecturers, and other members of staff are finding it tough to get our salaries. For example, we have not yet received our salaries for the month of March in all community technical colleges, yet our fellow Ministry [of Labour and Manpower Development], staff have been paid. We have families to take care of. Life is really hard,” said the source.
President Peter Mutharika launched community technical colleges in 2015. So far, 12 colleges have been opened.
While confirming the issue of salary delays, spokesperson in the Ministry of Labour, Sports, Youth and Manpower Development, Simon Mvundula, said the people complaining are only exaggerating the issue.
“It is true that the salaries have delayed, but they were told the reasons. These people were previously on contract but government decided to put them on payroll. It is that process which has resulted in the delays. Some of them will start receiving their salaries tomorrow [Friday],” Mvundula said on Thursday.
He said the Ministry has already informed the Department of Human Resources Management and office of the Accountant General about the changes.
“We know how important salaries are to people, but we had to sort out this issue. This will be good to them,” Mvundula said.
But Civil Servants Trade Union (CSTU) Secretary General, Madalitso Njolomole, said when government is making some changes, the workers must not be affected.
“Whatever changes, good or bad, should not affect the worker. If the changes affect us in any way, that’s bad. They have to look at their systems again to make sure that such changes do not negatively affect the workers,” Njolomole said.
The Democratic Progressive Party-led government introduced community colleges to offer people vocational training as one way of solving unemployment problem in the country.
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