Trainee teachers threatens to go on strike
Education expert Limbani Nsapato has spoken of the need for the Ministry of Education Science and Technology-MoEST to plan properly and execute plans such as the posting of trained teachers in time to avoid undue delays and promote efficiency in the system.
Nsapato who is Coordinator of Africa Network Campaign on Education for All-(ANCEFA) based in Lusaka, Zambia was reacting to news that newly trained teachers under the Initial Primary Teacher Education (IPTE) and Open Distance Learning (ODL) have petitioned government and threatened to hold protests this Thursday in Lilongwe over delayed posting.
“I believe it is within their rights to protest especially when the government is not taking care of their needs in time” said Nsapato.
He however, acknowledged that the protest will paint a negative picture of government and it will be good for the Ministry to assure the teachers of quick action.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, one of the trained teachers who graduated from Kasungu Teachers Training College said the teachers were tired of false promises from the Ministry.
“We were promised that by this month we will all be posted to our designated places of work. We have been patient enough taking into consideration that we finished school in July last year. We have stayed idol for too long and this is making us dull’” said the teacher.
The demonstrations are set to start from Kamuzu Central Hospital roundabout to the Capital Hill.
MoEST spokesperson Manfred Ndovi described the move as unfortunate.
“It is unfortunate that they have resorted to demonstrations, we have assured them several times that their problem will be resolved soon as their money was already allocated in this year’s financial budget, all we are waiting for is authority from the treasury.
“We do not want them to go through what their colleagues went through two years ago when they worked for months without pay. Once the treasury has finished with modalities on the salaries we will do the posting” assured Ndovie.
Ministry of finance, economic planning and development spokesperson Nations Msowoya was quoted in the media as saying his ministry and Moest were working on modalities to recruit the newly trained teachers under the two programmes.
