By Vincent Gunde
Political activist Bon Kalindo has pleaded with the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) to change the period of registration of candidates enrolling for Primary School Leaving Certificate of Educations (PSLCE), Junior Certificate of Educations (JCE) and Malawi School Certificate of Educations(MSCE) 2025.
Kalindo said considering the various challenges parents and guardians are facing, many children will not be able to sit for these national examinations hence for MANEB to consider period of registration to be extended.
The MANEB gave a deadline of 31st December, 2024 for the candidates to pay the Board but Malawi First –the People First Movement, has established that parents and guardians are struggling to buy a pail of 5 Litre maize which has gone to K6000, a development which is worrisome and at the same time paying MANEB.
Speaking through an audio clip, Kalindo has asked MANEB to borrow a leaf from what happened in 2024 where many parents and guardians failed to pay registration of their children to sit for national examinations saying this gave chance to the elected Parliamentarians to come in to the rescue of these vulnerable children.
Kalindo said for 4 years of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and his MCP government, life has become so bearable in most households and as a result, paying school fees, Development Fund and national examinations have been a challenge to all.
He said the MCP led government has made history in Malawi that for the first time, the number of dropouts from school and sitting for national examinations has increased because the government has no welfare of the citizens at heart.
The activist said people have no money in their pockets, nothing is moving in the country, the country has a leader not a president and many who could have been paying school fees and national examinations are jobless.
He said the 4 years of President Chakwera and MCP, poverty in Malawi has increased more than before observing that there’s skyrocketing prices of essential goods every day one visits shops wondering if the country has indeed a government to protect its people.
“I am pleading with MANEB to change the period of registration so that those that have not paid for the national examinations can find alternatives or well-wishers to come to their knees,” said Kalindo.
He has accused the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) of being quiet forgetting that its mandate is engaging government on matters of national importance one being pleading with government to have the welfare of its citizens at heart by demonstrating servant leadership to them.
