As legislators are deliberating the 2019/20 budget, Teachers Union of Malawi has demanded a pay increment of 18 percent, promotions, decent housing and attention to more school infrastructures.
Charles Kumchenga, TUM General Secretary confirmed with this publication in an interview.
According to Kumchenga, the union has presented its expectations to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
The two parties are said to have held a meeting on Monday where they emphasized on teachers’ welfare and provision of teaching and learning materials to be prioritized from the K172.8 billion allocated to the education sector.
“As TUM, we are happy with the education sector getting the biggest allocation. But we want government to translate this into a commitment to address key challenges the sector is facing,” Kumchenga said.
He added; “They range from low remuneration and leave grants for teachers, lack of housing, provision of enough teaching and learning materials and availability of good school infrastructure conducive for teaching and learning. We have already communicated our expectations to authorities.”
The education sector has been allocated the lion’s share of the K1.7 trillion National Budget presented in Parliament on Monday by Minister for Finance, Economic Planning and Development Joseph Mwanamvekha, leading TUM to demand an improvement in the welfare of about 80 000 teachers who it represents.
