In a bid to reduce the qualified teacher-to-pupil ratio in Malawi’s schools, the Ministry of Education has announced plans to recruit 4 200 auxiliary teachers to be paid K150 000 each per month, translating to K7.5 billion annually.
Secretary for Education Ken Ndala said in a statement yesterday that teachers will be employed on one year contract and are expected to report for duties in the various schools on November 10 2025.
The recruitment drive has come barely a fortnight after Chief Secretary
to the Government Justin Saidi issued a circular suspending recruitment and promotions in the civil service to contain Malawi’s growing wage bill.
Ndala said the auxiliary teachers come from various Initial Primary Teacher Education cohorts and will be placed in various primary schools in 33 education districts nationwide.
He said: “Failure to report by 17 November 2025 will lead to automatic withdrawal of the offer of engagement. The monthly honorarium for the post is K150 000.”
Ndala said the arrangement was temporary and does not, in any way, signal automatic employment after the expiry.
Meanwhile, Link for Education Governance executive director Limbani Nsapato said in an interview that the recruitment will help address the teacher shortage in the country,
especially for schools with a teacher to pupil ratio of over 1:100.
“However, there is need to employ such teachers on a longer contract period not just one year to ensure stability and sustainability, and help with job security for the newly-graduated teachers,” he said.
Education rights advocate Benedicto Kondowe said it was concerning that qualified teachers are being engaged as auxiliary staff and paid below the standard entry salary for professional teachers.
At K150 000 per month, it translates to K630 million a month and K7.5 billion for the one year engagement. Last year, auxiliary teachers were getting K120 000 honorarium.
