2021 academic calendar announced as MSCE exams re-administration starts

Government, through the Ministry of Education, says as schools re-open on January 4 amid increased cases of COVID-19 in the country, it will be monitoring all education institutions and advise of any changes and directions according to the situation on the ground.

According to the 2021 academic calendar, first term starts on Monday, January 4 and will end on 26th March, second term will run from 12th April to 2nd July with third term running from 19th July to 8th October 2021.

Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Chikondano Mussa urged education institutions to be in constant touch with the community health surveillance systems so that the institutions be alert on issues of public health.

Mussa also reminded all education institutions to continue operating by adhering to administrative measures and strategies that were used in the third term of 2019/20 pertaining to teacher and students’ attendance, time on task, continuous assessment and remediation.

According to the ministry, during the third of 2019/20 [between 7th September 2020 and December 18 2020] no COVID-19 case was recorded at any school.

Mussa therefore encouraged all parents, teachers, learners and students to strictly practice the three preventive measures: washing hands, social distancing and wearing of face masks.

“All school managers and educators are further reminded that they should implement the curriculum and all remedial guidelines that have been laid down to ensure maximum coverage of the curriculum as the 2021 academic calendar is shorter than the ideal, taking into account that the calendar is still in the catch-up strategy,” stated Mussa in a statement released on Saturday.

The Secretary for Education further claimed that the school calendar is harmonized for all education institutions at all levels whether public or private and that no education institution should therefore operate outside this academic calendar.

MSCE exams

Meanwhile, the Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb) will re-administer the 2020 MSCE examination from 5th January to 29th January 2021.

The 2020 examination were called off following massive leakage of questions papers across the country and President Lazarus Chakwera directed Maneb to re-administer MSCE examination not later than January 2021.

Maneb acting executive director Professor Dorothy Nampota told journalists recently that government provided K4.5 billion required for the re-administration of the examination .

She said funds for the science  practical examination were already disbursed to schools and schools were directed to procure the items before the 4th of January 2021 .

The Maneb boss also emphasized that no schools should demand fees from candidates for the practicals.

Nampota said the Board has tightened security for all processes surrounding the re-administration of the examination by engaging Malawi Defence Force, Malawi Police Service, National Intelligence Service and the Anti Corruption Bureau.

The leakage of the examination papers led to the suspension of Maneb Executive Director, Gerald Chiunda.

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