Over 500 graduates under the government internship program are expected to hold demonstrations tomorrow on Friday, 7 August protesting government’s decision to shift reporting dates for interns from 3rd August to 1st October, 2020.
According to Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Labour, Esmie Kainja the government has shifted the dates following a recommendation from Presidential Committee on Covid-19.
“The Ministry of Labour wishes to inform all interns who were in the first and second cohorts of the Graduate Internship Program that the official reporting dates to work has been shifted to 1st October, 2020.
The delay has resulted from the additional measures on the Covid-19 pandemic set by government,” said Kainja
Reacting to the development, the interns said will hold demonstrations tomorrow at Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima’s office in Lilongwe as a way of forcing the government to reverse the decision saying the reasons for shifting the dates are invalid.
The interns also accused the Tonse administration led by Lazarus Chakwera and Saulos Chilima for failing to employ them in various government departments despite promising one million jobs.
The internship program was started by the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as one way of curbing youth unemployment in the country.
