By Petro Mkandawire

Blantyre, July 5, Mana: President for Private Schools Association of Malawi (PRISAM), Ernest Kaonga, has pledged a whooping K6 million to six best performing students sitting for the 2023/2024 Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations as one way of motivating them.

Kaonga, who is also Director for Maranatha Private Academy, said they believe that motivation is one factor that inspires students to work hard.

The offer, which will see three boys and three girls getting K1 million each, goes to students in both private and public schools.

“We need to motivate these students. Our aim is to see them scoring highly in exams. As PRISAM President, l have set aside K6 million to six students who will emerge top performers during these examinations,” said Kaonga.

He said the offer is for the love of education and to complement government’s efforts in promoting education standards.

Kaonga has been decorating MSCE, Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) top performers by offering scholarships to such excellence from the marginalized.

This year he has promised to also splash out cash to top students who sat for the Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) examinations.

In a separate interview, Chifundo Mawindo, one of the students who are currently sitting for MSCE examinations, expressed gratitude with the offer saying it has come at the right time.

He said, as a candidate, he will fight very hard to claim the prize.

“I will be writing with much effort in order to dominate and qualify for the award. I know there are other fellows who are writing these exams as such I am encouraging them to push hard and fight for success because this will be a starter-pack for our tertiary education,” said Mawindo.

In 2022/2023 academic year, Kaonga awarded Esnart Chiwala, Don Chikopa and Joseph Mathias who obtained six points from St. Mary’s and Dedza Secondary Schools with K1 million each.

He also offered a job to Mathias as a student teacher at their Lilongwe campus after noticing that he struggles financially. The arrangement was meant to assist him raise money for his tuition in college.