Covid-19 taskforce has turned down teachers’ request for Covid-19 risk allowances, Minister of Education Agness Nyalonje has confirmed.
According to the Minister, granting the teachers their wish could result in grave monitory and budgetary problems. As such, teachers should forget about the allowances.
Meanwhile, teachers are staging a sit-in in protest against government’s decision to open schools without providing them with risk allowances. The sit-in has now entered it’s third day.
It is a different story for private schools as they are operating normally. When Low Profile Malawi assessed the situation at a number of private schools in Blantyre, it was established that business is running smoothly as usual.
Teachers believe they are prone to contracting the pandemic in a classroom setting, thus the need for allowances. However, their move has drawn mixed reactions from the public.
The government allocated K5 billion to the Ministry of Education prior to reopening of schools. The funds are meant to be used for fighting the pandemic in the education sector.
Following the Taskforce’s stand, TUM is scheduled to address the media at 5PM today.
