Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) has disclosed it has set aside over K 1 billion to cater for allowances and other administrative costs during the administration of this year’s Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examinations.

At least 302, 968 standard eight candidates will sit for the national examination slated to start on September 30, 2020.

Making the disclosure in Blantyre at a media briefing on Tuesday, MANEB Executive Director, Gerald Chiunda, said the funds are meant to cover allowances and transport costs for examination administrators.

“Examination administration is not a cheap thing. It is quite pricy, but we are working hard as management of MANEB to ensure that we have the money that should enable people to go out there and handle the examination process professionally.

“Professionalism will come in several aspects, one of which is the enabling environment. So to us as MANEB, we feel that to create that enabling environment, the teachers and the security officers need to have their allowances as they go,” said Chiunda.

Asked how much the whole examination will cost, Chiunda estimated that this year’s PSLCE examinations will cost about K3.6 billion.

Schools in Malawi reopened on September 7 after a seven-month break due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.