By Martha Simchimba

Lilongwe, July 15, Mana: Ministry of Education has said through Malawi Education Reform Programme (MERP), it would recruit 4,200 Auxiliary Teachers on a one-year academic contract.

According to the Press release dated July 15, 2024, signed by Secretary for Education Dr. Mangani Katundu, which Malawi News Agency (Mana) has seen, the Auxiliary Teachers would be drawn from the Initial Primary Teacher Education (IPTE) Cohorts of 14, 15 and 16.

Confirming the development, Ministry of Education, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mphatso Nkuonera said IPTE 14, 15 and 16 teachers who are willing to take up the temporary teaching positions are expected to report in respective workstations on September 1, 2024 for 2024-25 academic calendar.

"The Ministry has adjusted the honoraria for auxiliary teacher posts by 50 percent from K80, 000 to K120, 000 per month. A list of eligible schools for auxiliary teachers has been sent to all district education offices," he stated.

Nkuonera said the engagement of Auxiliary Teachers forms part of the efforts by the government to reduce the pupil-qualified-teacher ratio across the country.

An Education expert from Mzuzu University, Douglas Nyirenda applauded the government for the initiative saying it would reduce the teacher-pupil ratio, which was very high in the Southern Africa Development Committee (SADC) countries including Malawi.

He said it was sad that the teacher-pupil ratio was currently at about 120 pupils per teacher, which was not favorable and conducive to effective learning.

"The initiative by the government to recruit additional teachers will help teachers to have a sizeable number of pupils and have more attention that a teacher can give to learners. It will increase more time for remedial support that a teacher can give to learners," Nyirenda noted.

He added that the increase in the honorarium by 50 percent would motivate auxiliary teachers.

The engagement of Auxiliary Teachers is one of the components of MERP project is constructing 10,900 classrooms and 1,000 sanitary blocks across the country, training school leadership for effective school management, engaging learner mentors as well as disbursing School Improvement Grants for day-to-day school operations.

Malawi Government, World Bank As Well As Global Partnership Fund MERP for Education.