Article By: Lloyd M’bwana
In a bid to instill discipline and enhance teaching efficiency, Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MoEST) has fired 52 teachers across the nation for falling in love with their students which has led to increase in cases of pregnancies.
This is the crackdown the ministry embarked starting from 2013 to 2015 aimed at bringing sanity for the teaching professional the development which has also excited education experts.
MoEST’s Spokesperson Rebecca Phwitiko confirmed to The Maravi Post saying all suspected teachers to have been having inappropriate relationship with students were dismissed following thorough investigation after their names were submission to Teaching Service Commission (TSC) by the reporting officer be it district or division
education office on the alleged case.
“These are from several districts though not necessarily a true reflection of most cases of immoral conduct. The 52 teachers are only those who were dismissed. In fact, there are other cases that haven’t yet been submitted to TSC either because the district level investigation hasn’t been finalized or any other reason.
“The human resources directorate in the ministry of education ensures that appropriate supporting evidence is available before forwarding a submission to TSC. Evidence includes written reports from the teacher, student, head teacher, school committee and parents.
“However the exercise was hampered with numerous challenges which among others as there have been contradiction in the written evidence including refusal by some involved parties to provide evidence, student’s parents and teacher collaborating to have the teacher marry the student, provision of false information or change of statements and loss of vital information due to lack of adherence to investigation procedures”, elaborates Phwitiko.
Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC)’s Executive Director, Benedicto Kondowe commended government for the initiatives though the exercise was long over due as his office received lots of reports about teacher-pupil relations as to why were not punished for their misconducts.
“I’m glad that 52 teachers have been disciplined in this manner than transferring them to other schools who continue to be perpetuators of sexual abuse of school girls. Of course the number of them is more than what we have told but I assume this is the begging of it all”, commends Kondowe.
