MSCE allowances will not be ready at exam start

This year’s Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examination invigilators and security officers will have to start their work on June 22 without advance payment of their allowances as the money is not yet ready.

According to Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb), it has not yet received funding to pay the allowances at the start of the examination.

This is contained in a letter from Maneb acting executive director Jack Chalimba to all district education managers (DEMs) except Likoma and all officers-in-charge (OCs) excluding Likoma, which Nation Online has seen.

“Please inform officers that payment will be done as soon as funding is made available,” ends the letter dated June 15 2016 and copied to the board’s chairperson, secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) and the Inspector General (IG) of Police.

Responding to Nation Online inquiry on the issue, Maneb spokesperson Simeon Maganga said the issue of shortage of funds is not new to this year or to this MSCE as the board also faced a similar problem last year, compelling it to make half-down payments.

This year, 153 656 candidates registered to sit MSCE examinations slated for June 22 to July 20.