Despite Friday’s directive from the Ministry of Education asking teachers marking the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations, some of them have not returned to work.
Some teachers started boycotting the marking process and the Education authorities came in to ask them to return assuring them their issues have been resolved.
The developments led to the closure of the St Mary’s Examinations Marking centre in Zomba by the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) who also suspended the marking exercise.
Erick Lihonga a teacher’s representative in an interview monitored on ZBS said all the teachers that boycotted did not return and will not return as they are yet to receive official communication from the Education Ministry asking them to return to continue marking the exams.
He indicated that he is not aware if the issues raised have indeed been resolved.
“We collected little money that it could not assist us to go back to the centre. The message which got us was the same message that was circulating that was demanding we markers who obliged to the ruling of the MANEB that we were supposed to go back. There is no other communication apart from that one”.
Ministry of Education’s Spokesperson Mphatso Nkuonera insisted that all issues were resolved following a meeting with the teachers on the same day the centre was closed.
Despite the protracted row, the Ministry maintains that results of the MSCE examinations will not be affected.
“The teachers agreed with us to continue marking and marking continued immediately after the Ministry had intervened so we’re saying nothing will change the process and nothing will affect us in terms of the process of marking. We are so sure that the results will not be affected in any way”.
The teachers among others are asking MANEB to revise upwards the marking fee which currently stands at K110 to K115 per paper and refund their transport.