[Civsoc-mw] [BwalolaAphunzitsi] MALAWI SUSPENDS SECONDARY SCHOOL FEES. .. Your thoughts? !?

Wed Sep 12 10:28:09 CAT 2018

Because people have already enjoyed the suspensions two things are likely
to happen:

1. the fees cannot be re-introduced this year without significant backlash;

2. when the "official" announcement is made, presenting as a gift, the
people are unlikely to appreciate because they would then think it is an
entitlement.

But for the long term, we wait and see the direction. Not a bad idea if
learners would have missed classes for lack of fees.

On 12 September 2018 at 08:14, Abbas Panjwani <ibc.malawi at gmail.com> wrote:

> http://news-af.op-mobile.opera.com/news/detail/
> 6452471bbb0bf0a26cbe06d3a910c2a3_mw?share=1&country=mw&language=en
>
> Malawi government has ordered head teachers in public secondary schools to
> delay the collection of school fees as the schools open Monday after a
> two-month summer holiday.
>
> 
>
> Munthali: Questions the timing
>
> But secretary for Education, Science and Technology, Justin Saidi,  in a
> circular  to all head teachers in the country, has not given reasons why
> there should be a delay in the collection of fees.
>
> “As you are aware, the 2018/19 academic year starts from 10th September,
> 2018. I write to advise that you should delay the collection and receipt of
> tuition fees from students for the 2018/19 academic year.
>
> “You will receive further instructions on the same in due course,” says
> the letter in part.
>
> Saidi says the instruction only applies to payments of tuition fees and
> does not apply to the collection and receipt of the other fees such as text
> book, revolving fund, general purpose fund or boarding fees where
> applicable.
>
> “I would like to appeal to all education division managers to make sure
> that the content of this circular letter is urgently brought to the
> attention of all headmasters for information and implementation,” says the
>  further.
>
> Sources in the Ministry of Education have confided to Nyasa Times that the
> Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are using this as campaign tool to offer
> free secondary education.
>
> Governance and rights activist Makhumbo Munthali told Nyasa Times that the
> Ministry of Educationcommunique seems to suggest that government is
> considering introducing free Secondary School education.
>
> “ While the idea to introduce such a policy is ambitious and good in as
> far as increasing access to education for those learners who would not
> manage to pay fees, the question of the timing of when such a policy should
> be implemented should be seriously looked into,” he said.
>
> Munthali argued that  already the country is failing  to successfully
> manage primary education despite introducing free primary education with
> the burden to cover the deficits now transfered to parents under the
> so-called development funds and others.
>
> “No wonder many have repeatedly said Primary School is not free – a
> complete diversion from the Education Act of 2013. It is against such a
> background that many would still raise serious doubts on the feasibility of
> government implementing free primary education,” he said.
>
> Munthali added: “ Just like Primary Education experience, government may
> simply transfer the burden of financing the likely huge deficit that may be
> incurred in financing free tuition secondary education to parents and
> learners under the non-tuition fees like PTA/Development funds at school
> level.”
>
> He said informed by the free Primary School experience, it would therefore
> be important for government to clearly spell out the mechanisms it has put
> in place in order to successfully implement the new free secondary school
> policy.
>
> “Politically, it is clear that this  decision may have been made
> bythe DPP government in order to strengthen its chances of winning the 2019
> Tripartite elections. It may hence be seen as one of those desperate
> attempts by the ruling party to outsmart its strong competitors in MCP and
> UTM in the election.
>
> “However, the only problem with ‘politically-motivated’ policies is that
> they are often not sustainable, and they in the short or long term put huge
> burden on the tax-payer. In summary, its important that government
> addresses the shortfalls with the implementation of free primary education
> before extending such a policy to secondary school,” Munthali said.
>
> In Africa, Ghana is already offering free secondary education which
> started out this month under President Nana Akufo- Addo. In 2015 Gambia
> removed fees for all public primary and secondary schools, while in 2016
> Tanzania removed lower secondary school fees.
>
> Timve NAWO
>
> Abbas Panjwani
> Malawi
> E: ibc.malawi at gmail
> M: +265 999 826666 | +265 888 826666 | +265 212 888 826666
>
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-- 
Adamson S. Muula PhD, MPH, MBBS, CPH, PGDip (Public Health Ethics), PGDip
(Global Health), PGD (Palliative Care)
Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health
University of Malawi, College of Medicine
School of Public Health and Family Medicine
Department of Public Health
Chimutu Building Room 850
Private Bag 360, Chichiri
Blantyre 3
Malawi
Email: amuula at medcol.mw
Cell: +265 884233486
Skype address: adamson.sinjanimuula
Publications list: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Muula
*orcid.org/0000-0003-4412-9773 <http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4412-9773>*
Webpage: http://biostat.maths.cc.ac.mw/people/staff/Adamson_S._Muula
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