Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) and Civil Society Education Coalition (Csec) have rolled out an initiative in Mzuzu to amplify citizens’ demands for accountability in the push to ensure every child gets quality primary education.
According to VSO programme manager Makhumbo Munthali, the transparency initiative follows a survey which revealed wide knowledge gaps in school management committees, parents-teachers associations and village development committees which are supposed to monitor primary education in the city.
“There is lack of awareness on what they are supposed to do in development. With the coming in of decentralisation, local structures need to take an active part in monitoring service delivery at community level,” he said.
The nongovernmental organisations has trained the committees in social accountability as well as how to track service provision in their areas and engage duty-bearers on the same.
“After these activities, we will do a review to determine if there is a need to come up with a fully-fledged project and whether to replicate the initiative in other districts,” said Munthali.
Area 1B Zone primary education adviser Leah Munkhondya and St Augustine Primary School PTA chairperson Eliza Nyirenda said parents and committees lack knowledge on how to demand answers to widespread problems, including shortage of classroom blocks as well as teaching and learning materials. n
