Private schools want gov’t to reconsider schools reopening

The Private Schools Association of Malawi has proposed to government to reconsider its decision of delaying opening of schools in Blantyre and Lilongwe cities.

It follows a decision announced by the National Taskforce on COVID-19 and Cholera that primary and secondary schools in the two cities will delay by at least two weeks due to a surge in cholera cases.

However, addressing members of the media in Blantyre, Patricia Chisi, Vice President for PRISAM expressed worry that students set to sit for examinations this year will be negatively affected by the delay

She has since appealed to authorities to allow those in exam classes; form 2 and form four to open on schedule so they won’t be left behind as well as a means of decongesting schools.

“The current decision puts at disadvantage learners from the two cities, yet during examination marking they will not be exempted, “said Chisi.

Meanwhile, Hestings Boyce Moloko, a PRISAM Trustee has told the media that the decision by government to delay opening of schools has been sudden as most students are already at school.

According to Moloko, the same situation happened with the COVID 19 pandemic where a rush decision was made to close schools and the consequences to the education sector were extreme.

He added that there is no study or any science based evidence indicating that children contract cholera more at school that at home hence the need for government to reconsider it’s decision.