By Robert Kumwenda
A grouping of Primary school teachers who graduated two years ago after completing the Primary School Teacher Training Course for Initial Primary Teacher Education (IPTE 10) and Open Distance Learning (ODL 5) have blamed government for failing to employ them and give the allowances which government owes them.
The concerned teachers said this Thursday at a Press briefing which the opposition Umodzi Party (UP) organized in collaboration with the concerned teachers.
One of the concerned teachers Bashir Mailosi said there were supposed to be deployed in various primary schools after the completion of their training but as of to date twenty two months have elapsed with nothing happening on the ground.
“We understand the turbulence waters which government is sailing through economically but we would like the government through the ministry of education to consider us seriously because teachers are the basis of every profession in this country and no development can never take place without teachers,” he said.
He said government should handle the issue of allowances with keen interest saying that they have tried to write letters to District Education Managers (DEM) as well as the Capital Hill but nothing has happened hence the reason for coming to UP because they are accessible and in there manifesto they are talking about education and employment for all.
Mailoso also said that UP leader is one of the leaders who have vision to develop this country through education while saying that they have passion to work but they are just staying idle in communities’ and life is very unbearable for them.
Echoing Mailosi sentiments another concerned teacher Magret Bondo for IPTE 10 said they are like a laughing stock in communities.
She said they did not decide to address their concerns to Teachers of Union of Malawi (TUM) because there are not members of the organization saying that only the teachers that have been deployed in various schools are legible to become members of (TUM).
“Life has been difficult for us because our relations had hope in us but we are still facing numerous problems and we are having problems to secure jobs in private schools because they that they do not employ teachers who are waiting for deployment,” she said.
We have no intention to hold demonstrations over this issue because other people may take advantage to cause violence, she said.
Speaking at the same press briefing UP leader Professor John Chisi said it is the responsible for those that are in leadership to advocate for them to be where they want to be.
He asked the ministry of education to look at this thing with serious matter and added that they expect to hear positive responses within a short period of time.
“We cannot say that we are failing to employ them because of resources because we have international relations that can help us. We believe that human resource is very important and it cannot happen without teachers,” he said.
Chisi said if government is failing is because it has not put education as a priority and urged government over mediocrity leadership in this country.
He added that if government fails to respond then they will tell Malawians that this government has failed saying that if they really love this country they will find money.
“We will not stop advocating until they get what they deserve and if they do not react immediately it will portray a bad picture for government as the country prepares for tripartite elections next year,” he said.
The UP leader said they never had a strategy and mechanism that is the reason why they have failed.
