By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, June 5, Mana: Nkhata Bay District Commissioner (DC), Rodgers Newa has expressed satisfaction on how 2024 Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) examinations have started in the district.

Newa said this in an interview, Tuesday after visiting a number of examination centers including Mpamba and Matete Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSS), and Nkhata Bay Boys Secondary School to appreciate the progress of examinations.

He said; "My first impression is that we have started well. So far we have not seen or recorded any observable incident. The students are quite keen on the examinations, supervisors are all around, security is okay and distribution of papers was properly done yesterday.”

“Of late we have seen the impressive work by the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) in ensuring that security for the examinations is tightened.

“That is why as a district we are also following the same footsteps in intensifying monitoring throughout the period candidates are sitting for the examinations to have zero malpractice which in the end gives the examinations credibility,” Newa said.

He also commended the increased number of female candidates sitting for the examinations and attributed it to continued efforts by government and all stakeholders in the fight for the girl child to remain in school.

“Government has put in place policies that support the girl child to complete education. These policies have now started bearing fruits as witnessed by the increased number of female candidates sitting for the examinations,” he said.

163, 950 candidates registered for 2024 JCE examinations across the country of which 84, 226 are female and 79, 724 are male.