The Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) has revealed that it owes over K2.5 billion to a company that printed exam papers for the 2024 national examinations.

The board disclosed this financial challenge to the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Science while preparing to work with the same company for the 2025 exams.

MANEB Executive Director, Prof. Dorothy Nampota, stated that the government allocated K13 billion in the current budget, far below the K37 billion initially estimated, significantly impacting the board’s operations.

She further explained that MANEB managed to collect K9 billion on its own but still requires an additional K16 billion to meet its financial obligations.

Ephraim Nayeja, Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, described the situation as a serious concern. He indicated that the committee plans to engage the Ministry of Finance to secure the remaining funds before the exam printing process begins in April.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the Ministry of Education rejected MANEB’s proposal to increase exam fees by 50%, a move that would have eased its financial burden.