JC candidates drop, ministry set to probe

Ministry of Education says it will launch a probe to establish why the number of candidates for Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) examinations has dropped amid analysts’ suggestions that it could be attributed to low investment.

Minister of Education Madalitso Kambauwa-Wirima said this in an interview yesterday after inspecting JCE examination centres at Katoto and Luwinga secondary schools in Mzuzu.

She said once the cause is established, they will explain through the media.

Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb) records show that in 2022 and in 2024 there were lower numbers of JCE candidates compared to 2023.

The records indicate that in 2022, there were 159 964 candidates comprising 79 595 boys and 80 369 girls while in 2023, the numbers increased to 85 998 boys and 90 434 girls making a total of 176 432 candidates.

However, this year, there are 79 724 boys and 84 226 girls registered, giving a total of 163 950 candidates.

Kambauwa-Wirima said despite the drop, this year’s JCE examinations have started on a positive note with no reports of disturbances.

She said: “As a government we have visited a number of centres. From where I sit, we have not heard anything disturbing. We hope this is how it is going to be until the end of the examinations.”

In separate interviews, education experts said the onus is on government through Ministry of Education to conduct a comprehensive study to establish what could be a diverse range of factors that have contributed to the decline in candidates numbers.

Educationist Steve Sharra said the number of candidates for national examinations at Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examinations and JCE for this year have gone down compared to last year while those for Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) have risen by about 23 000.

While admitting that not everyone who registers goes on to sit for the examinations and that the numbers may not be precise, he said the downward trend was apparent.

Said Sharra: “Some anecdotal evidence points to a few things. Recall that in January this year Maneb extended the period for examination fee and examination identity cards payments, after it was found that some students had failed to pay by the deadline.

“Although there was a massive effort by the public and by organisations to try and pay for every student, it is likely that not every student was reached, and some therefore still failed to pay. Some of this is due to serious economic challenges many Malawian households are facing.”

Education rights activist Limbani Nsapato stressed that the best reasons for the drop can come from the ministry and Maneb as the two oversee candidate registration and school census.

However, he said some contributing factors could include the overall drop in enrolment caused by Covid-19 as well as Cyclone Freddy last year.

Civil Society Education Coalition executive director Benedicto Kondowe said in an interview yesterday that the numbers reflect student enrolment at Form Two.

He said enrolment at Form One cannot represent that of Form Two, as it is a complex issue that needs more time to be dissected.

Said Kondowe: “If enrolment at Form Two was lower, you would not expect more candidates sitting for the examinations. Dropouts may have happened between Form One and Two. So, there has to be a thorough investigation on the factors leading to the drop.”

Maneb started administering the 2024 JCE examinations yesterday.

—Additional reporting by MACMILLAN MHONE, Staff Reporter