Minister of Education, Hon. Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima M.P, has condemned the increase of vandalism of school property by students in some secondary schools in the country.
The Minister warned that students caught in such misconduct will be expelled from school and will not be given any opportunity to continue their education in any public school.
She sounded this warning bell on Thursday, at Mphomwa Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Kasungu where she inspected the construction works of classroom blocks and laboratories being financed by the Malawi Government and the World Bank.
Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima
Wirima said it is very disappointing and disheartening that while the government is trying to improve education, there are some unruly students who are vandalizing classroom blocks and learning materials, especially if they do not agree with some of the decisions by school managers.
“To bring sanity, we will not be left with any choice rather than expelling such ungovernable students who spoil other students with a clear vision of their future,” she warned.
She cited Robert Blake in Dowa has only form ones, while Khola and Nachitheme in Ntcheu as schools which have not been remain closed since students damaged property and classrooms which demands huge sums of money is for restoration.
“Let me emphasize that as a ministry we do not condone the practice of vandalising property in our schools. We have many students who come to school to shape their future. As such we will not allow a few students to disrupt the education of their peers. I therefore urge students to follow the right channels of presenting their grievances as opposed to vandalism,” Wirima said.
She then asked parents and guardians to give the right advice to their children, realizing that a child’s behaviour starts at home.
Before visiting Kasungu, the Education Minister inspected a similar project at Msongwe CDSS in Mzuzu City.
Ministry of Education is implementing the Equity with Quality and Learning at Secondary School (EQUALS) project in 13 districts in order to improve quality of science and mathematics teaching in Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSSs) and increase the number of students accessing secondary education especially in remote areas in the country.
Through the EQUALS Project, 103 secondary schools in the country have been expanded to increase the learning space to spur the performance of students in CDSSs.
I was travelling on Friday afternoon, 8 March 2024, in a taxi to Waka Waka. I was answering a phone call at the time I boarded a taxi. The driver was discussing the drought and hot weather at the time during 2024 rain season as I continued having a conversation on the phone after which I concurred and suggested that indeed rain season and hot weather go together.
Malawi has two main seasons, namely the cool dry season between May and October with mean temperatures of around 13°C in June and July and the hot wet season between November and April with temperatures between 30°- 35°C.
Then a passenger in the front seat connected the rain season discussion to politics. He said some people would also blame the erratic rains on Chakwera yet the President was delivering.
The debate
Although I couldn’t see the connection between weather and politics, I understood this man quite well that he simply wanted to bring in a political debate. Therefore, I decided to join in and say something.
I wanted to understand what President Reverend Lazarus Chakwera has achieved for Malawi ever since he won elections in 2020. I just wanted one or two specific examples but he couldn’t give specific examples.
President Chakwera
He said Chakwera has delivered everything he promised without specifying. After I repeatedly asked him to give one or few examples he ended up asking me to express my opinion. I insisted that I needed to understand the success story of President Reverend Lazarus Chakwera with specific examples.
After noting that he would not give specific examples I cut the debate as it was a waste of time because my question was not being answered. I therefore asked how much it would cost from town to Waka Waka after which I paid and I realised that I had arrived my destination. But my question was not answered and at parted ways.
Conclusion
Drawing on stories of citizens who voluntarily participate in the viral marketing of electoral candidates, as well as developments from the presidential campaigns, is a complex intersection between traditional top-down electioneering and grassroots political promotion that emerges from popular culture. It considers how a fanlike cultural engagement with modern political brands fosters participatory forms of candidate promotion that extend far beyond a campaign’s official digital media outreach. Here, citizen marketers take on the role of cheerleaders for their political “teams,” seeking to model enthusiasm and rally their like-minded peers.
This dynamic is becoming particularly important for outsider and insurgent candidates who depend on groundswells of grassroots momentum on social media and elsewhere to achieve electoral success. Unfortunately, President Reverend Lazarus Chakwera and the Tonse Alliance are not the type of government Malawians wanted and voted for. They have dismally failed to perform and deliver their own promise. Chakwera has failed his own appraisal !
Malawi President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has hailed private sector for the role being played in economic building of the country.
Chakwera said this at Mzuzu State Lodge when he hosted dinner for the business captains drawn from the northern region.
Speaking during the function , Chakwera said government and business captains are two sides of the same economy hence the need for them to work together.
He said the two sides are in the same team which aims at steering the economy forward. The President said a strong and smart partnership between business and government improves the cordial working relationship between the two sides.
“This gathering is so important because it helps to see our similarities in serving Malawians, ” he said.
On effects of climate change to the economy Chakwera said climate change effects on the economy are also similar to both government and business. “We are all accountable to our shareholders, ” he said.
The president has since challenged the private sector to aspire to succeed at all times.
The event is being held in appreciation of the role the private sector plays in the country’s development in regards to job and wealth creation which is highly valued contribution to the welfare of the economy.
Speaking during the banquet, NBS Bank Chief Executive Officer Kwanele Ngwenya commended President Dr Lazarus Chakwera for giving opportunities for the private sector to dine with the first citizen.
He said there is no single entity which possesses monopoly in the solutions to the country’s problems. He said there is need for Government and private sector to work hand in hand.
He said the gathering is a symbol of unity to build a successful Malawi.
“The network you Mr President are building with private sector is key and appreciated and this dinner provides a platform for deep conversations with the private sector, ” he said.
President Lazarus Chakwera in November 2023 announced tough measures which his government had put in place to cushion Malawi’s troubled economy. He addressed the nation immediately after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had approved a four-year Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme pegged at $174 million.
Chakwera said he had suspended his international trips and those of Cabinet ministers and other public officers with immediate effect until 2024. He said savings made from the austerity measures will be used for procuring food and fertiliser to ensure no Malawian family is hungry in the next four months. The President then expressed excitement at the clinching of the ECF deal which, he hoped, would unlock foreign direct investments into Malawi. What is the good meaning and intentions of austerity measures? This article looks into austerity measures and whether Malawi is benefiting anything from this or not.
President Chakwera
Austerity measures
Austerity, a set of economic policies, usually consisting of tax increases, spending cuts, or a combination of the two, are used by governments to reduce budget deficits. Austerity measures can in principle be used at any time when there is concern about government expenditures exceeding government revenues.
Austerity measures are considered harsh economic policies intended to reduce the government’s budget deficit. These policies can include reductions in government spending and increased taxes. Austerity measures are commonly used with contractionary fiscal policy or when a government faces debt default.
Firstly, there are three primary types of austerity measures: revenue generation (higher taxes) to fund spending, raising taxes while cutting nonessential government functions, and lower taxes and lower government spending.
Secondly, a typical goal of austerity is to reduce the annual budget deficit without sacrificing growth. Over time, this may reduce the overall debt burden, often measured as the ratio of public debt to GDP.
Further research shows how austerity can be experienced as a “personal crisis”, affecting the things people can do, afford and dream about, including having security at home and work. It even extends to whether or not people are able to make decisions about having children.
Thirdly, austerity measures may include reductions in government spending, such as cutting or freezing government employees salaries, reducing benefits, freezing hiring, reducing work hours, eliminating government services, cutting pensions and other government programs. Utilizing taxes and interest rates is another method.
Tanzania’s John Magufuli’s Austerity Measures
Tanzania’s former president John Magufuli’s austerity measures caused a stir on social media, with #WhatWouldMagufuliDo which went trending on Twitter. Magufuli instituted various measures meant to curb government excesses and save Tanzanian taxpayers’ money. To that effect, he had:
Cancelled Independence Day celebrations. Tanzanian President John Magufuli cancelled celebrations to mark the country’s Independence Day and directed that funds earmarked for the event should be used to buy medical facilities.
Limited foreign travel to only what was most essential, with those travelling needed to get special permission from him or the Chief Secretary of the Cabinet
Limited first and business class travel for all officials except the President, Vice, and Prime Minister.
Cancelled all workshops and seminars held in expensive hotels, with ministries having to use their own boardrooms Removed sitting allowances for government employees.
Cut the budget of an inauguration party for the new parliament from $100,000 to $7,000.
As a result, Twitter users posted situations where they avoided spending more money than they had to using the hashtag, to hilarious effect. The hashtag highlighted some creative but questionable ways to save money.
The late Magufuli
Conclusion
While we appreciate that the President sometimes needs to travel to inspect and officially open some projects, he also needs more time to be in his office. I still applaud the President for the decision he made though he finally decided very late after Malawians had exhausted their lamentations and opinion on the matter. I still believe that there’s still need to freeze on all local-funded travel for Chakwera and all officials at all levels as well for Malawi to seriously recover from economic challenges. Government could use digital technologies to check the progress of projects countrywide as a way cutting down costs.
However, I still have a problem with President Reverend Lazarus Chakwera always being on the road within the country instead of being in his office working. Government is still spending highly due to local travels and flights of the President who to attend each and every function even where he is not needed.
Gospel Singer Theresa Phondo has announced that she will be releasing a new Single called “Testimony”. The song is scheduled to be out on Friday 15th March.
Making the announcement on her social media handles, the gospel songstress wrote “My latest single, TESTIMONY🎶, drops at midnight!! ⏳ who’s ready”
Theresa Phondo
The single is to feature on the artist’s Spotify. Phondo is the most streamed Malawian female gospel musician on Spotify. Her previous release ‘Blessings’ gained her over one million streams on the platform.
Social media reacted to the announcement with great anticipation of what is to be delivered
“U give us spiritual courage ..u inspire us alot mom God bless ur way” wrote one Vincent Kamenya
Another one named Honest wrote “I can’t believe I’ve just watched this 6 times🥺.. Can’t wait for this banger🔥” while Nankungwi Emmie summed up Phondo’s music exploits by commenting “You are talented,the natural voice,the melody in it,you are the best !”
