By Iommie Chiwalo
As government seems clueless about ending teachers strike, a situation that has unveiled indecisiveness on part of authorities, parents have endorsed street protests in calling for immediate action.
Apart from parents who were available at a press conference organised by Center for Democracy and Development Initiatives (CDEDI), Malawi Voice has confirmed in a random interviews with parents from Nkolokoti, Chankhanga, Magawa and some parts of South West education division zones where majority are of the view that government is very inconsiderate by not acting on the current status by not treating it with all the urgency it deserves.
Meanwhile CDEDI is planning to hold nationwide demonstrations on Wednesday should government stick to its guns on its refusal to pay teachers Covid-19 risk allowances.
Speaking when addressing journalists in Lilongwe on Monday about the impending protest, CDEDI Executive Director, Sylvester Namiwa, stressed that time had come for the parents and guardians to rise up and fight for the dignity and welfare of the teaching profession, which he said has been despised for decades.
Namiwa said Malawians should stop looking at the current standoff between the government and the teachers as a teachers’ affair only, but rather, a war between the government and its own citizens, especially those that cannot afford to send their children and wards to private schools within the country or abroad.
He said CDEDI’s position on the current standoff between the government and the teachers in public schools is very simple and straight forward in the sense that teaching was classified by the Presidential Task Force on the Covid-19 pandemic in July 2020, as a profession that is at risk.
“It is surprising, therefore, to note that government has put its foot down, and has sworn never to give the teachers the risk allowances, and yet the same government is currently busy splashing out money to some individuals, in the name of Covid-19 cushion measures,” he said.
The CDEDI Chief warned that should the current standoff between the teachers and the government remain unresolved by Wednesday, March 10, 2021, CDEDI will mobilize Malawians to protest in the streets of the country’s major cities and town.
On a sad note and making it a broader issue is an allegation that Malawi Police Service (MPS) officers are also not receiving the Covid-19 risk allowances despite being included on the list of beneficiaries.
Namiwa described the development as not only shameful, but also raises questions on the integrity of the Tonse Alliance Government and the leadership of President Chakwera.
“It further begs the question; if teachers and the police are not receiving the Covid-19 risk allowances, then who is pocketing them? CDEDI would like to warn the authorities not to take advantage of the situation of our men and women in uniform in the MPS, Prisons, Immigration, and the Malawi Defense Force (MDF), who cannot speak out publicly for fear of disciplinary actions and reprisals, since they are not allowed to form unions at their various work places,” he said.
Adding that such a situation should in no way give the Tonse Alliance Government a leeway to abuse our brothers and sisters in uniform hence worth noting that they are first and foremost humans, therefore it is totally uncalled for to hide behind issues of professionalism and discipline to trample willy-nilly upon their rights.
The CDEDI boss further challenged the Inspector General (IG) of Police to ensure that police officers get their dues immediately or explain the whereabouts of the huge sums of money the MPS was allocated for the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Teachers in Malawi are currently staying away from their work, demanding that the government should pay them K35, 000 each for six months, arguing the nature of their job exposes them to the risk of contracting coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
The Teachers’ Union of Malawi (TUM) called for the strike following the government’s refusal to honour a recommendation from the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19, which classified teaching as one of the risky professions alongside health workers, the police and immigration, among others.
CDEDI and concerned parents are expected to organize a peaceful protest in all the country’s towns and cities to force the government to address the teachers’ grievances.
Taking it from what Principal Secretary for education Kinswell Dakamau has told parliamentary committee on education, it is doubtful that the strike will come to an end.
From what he said, while using present continuous tense, it shows that there is nothing on the ground to cushion teachers amid covid 19.
Dakamau said government is putting in place measures to ensure that schools are safe places for both learners and teachers.
He says government is among other things providing masks, soaps, and hand washing facilities.
The Principal Secretary further said that government has trained covid 19 committees in schools, teachers, prefects and learners in some schools on how best they can manage covid 19.
“We would be lying if we say everything is in place but we have made sure that necessary measures have been made to make schools safer place,” he said.
But this publication can independently confirm that funds for covid 19 prevention for schools were abused and no parent or students approached by the journalist confirmed having attended to any training conducted by ministry of education as claimed by PS Dakamau.
Meanwhile Parliamentary committee on Education Chairperson Brainax Kaisa has blamed ministry of education saying it has never been honest enough when handling issues affecting teachers.
