Teachers Express Disappointment Over Promotion Results in Nsanje District
As the district moves forward, it is crucial for authorities to address these concerns and ensure that promotion decisions reflect the dedication and hard work of all deserving educators.
Nsanje, Malawi-In a recent development, hundreds of teachers in Nsanje District have voiced their disappointment with the promotion interview results released on Thursday, writes Cornelius Lupenga.
Some quarters believe that these results may pose a threat to the improvement of quality education in the district.
According to a document obtained by AfricaBrief, only 82 teachers have been promoted to Grades H, I, J, and K.
This has led to concerns among educators, as many long-serving and hardworking teachers were not included in the list.
Speaking anonymously, a teacher from the Nyamadzere Education Zone expressed her frustration, particularly regarding teachers who have been at PT 4 Grade L for over 18 years and were not promoted.
She questioned whether the authorities took into account the teachers' years of service.
"This will definitely affect the teachers and negatively contribute to their morale. What's worse is that some of those who were promoted have less than 7 years of service," she alleged.
Marko Molotali, a member of the Nsanje District Council Education Committee and the Councillor for Ruo Ward, expressed his disappointment with the promotion results.
He highlighted that out of the three Education Zones in Nsanje North, only two teachers were promoted.
Molotali emphasized that this situation is particularly painful for teachers from the East Bank who spent over K50,000 on transportation and other expenses to Nsanje Boma.
Molotali questioned the criteria used in the promotion process, warning that this may lead to poor performance in the district's schools this academic season.
According to an inside source within the District Education Office, out of the 1,400 PT4 Grade L teachers who sat for PT 3 Grade K interviews, only 73 were successful.
This leaves 1,327 PT4 teachers, a majority of whom are long-serving male teachers, without promotion.
The source further revealed that following the success of the 73 PT3 Grade K teachers, the district is likely to recruit an additional 73 PT4 Grade L teachers from the current 137 Auxiliary Teachers serving in schools across Nsanje.
MacShadis Dakamau, the Chief Education Youths and Sports Officer for Nsanje, confirmed the promotion of 82 teachers to Grades H, I, J, and K.
When asked about the impact of these results on the teachers in Nsanje, Dakamau acknowledged that the teachers were happy when they submitted their acceptance letters to the District Commissioner on Friday.
The breakdown of the promotion results obtained by AfricaBrief is as follows: Grade H/M 6=2, Grade I/M 7=1, Grade J/M 8=6, and Grade K/M 9=73.
The disappointment expressed by the teachers highlights concerns about the transparency and fairness of the promotion process.
As the district moves forward, it is crucial for authorities to address these concerns and ensure that promotion decisions reflect the dedication and hard work of all deserving educators.