Africa-Press – Malawi. Minister of Education Agnes Nyalonje on Friday, February 11, 2022 told legislators in the August house that the Ministry will look into charges of fees of National Examinations.
Nyalonje was responding to concerns from legislators that some parents and guardians may not afford afford to pay for the exams as well as school fees due to challenges brought about by COVID-19 and natural disasters.
The Parliamentarians also raised the issue of of need to regulate the examination fees especially in Private Schools who are allegedly charging twice more than Public Schools for Students to register for exams.
She said the ministry will take it up with the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) and the the inspection department within the Ministry to get to the bottom of the issue especially on the overcharging.
Responding on allegations that some private schools are charging twice more than government schools, Nyalonje said, “If we are talking of National Examinations administered by MANEB, the fees are not different for students regardless of where they are writing examinations from.
“However, my Ministry will look into it to see what exactly is going on. If fees are varied as my honourable colleague is saying, then we have a problem…That cannot be right”.
On need to waive fees, Nyalonje said exams registration were underway that time was limited process to reverse fees hike but assured to talk with MANEB.
” But what we commit to do is to ask MANEB to look at the issue and see If there is anything that can be done. Keeping in mind that the reason there are these fees is to allow for process to be done. The money is used for examination processes.
“So, saying those fees will be waived just like that would create problems elsewhere, so we will look at it and we will come with a response,” said Nyalonje. MANEB pegged examinations fees ranging from MK26,000 and MK30,000 depending on weather one has taken science lane or humanity lane.
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