* All laid down COVID-19 preventive guidelines shall be followed
* Ministry to closely monitor all institutions and advise of any changes
* Investigations results of the the leaked MSCE exams still not out
By Duncan Mlanjira
The 2021 academic calendar begins on Monday, January 4 and ends on October 8, 2021 while the Malawi Schools Certificate of Education (MSCE) exams, that were called off in the midst of the exams after discovery of its leakage, will roll off with a fresh set of papers starting Tuesday.
MSCE schedule
All terms will be for 12 weeks each and after each team there will be a break of two weeks as holidays.
Term 1 is for from January 4 to March 26; Term 2 from April 12 to July 2 and third term from July 19 to October 8.
A statement from the Ministry’s Chikondano Mussa, dated January 2, reminds all principals, headteachers, educators, stakeholders and the general public that all laid down COVID-19 preventive guidelines as issued by the Ministries of Education and Health shall be followed.
“Education institutions shall also 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,” says the statement.
PS Chikondano Mussa
“As you are aware, the Ministry of Education re-opened schools on 7th September, 2020 with all the COVID-19 measures in place and all schools were successfully closed on the 18th December, 2020 with no registered case of COVID-19.
“With the rise in COVID-19 cases, we urge all parents, teachers, learners and students to strictly practice the three preventive measures: washing hands, social distancing and wearing of face masks.”
In Saturday’s situation report from co-chairperson of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr. John Phuka as learners return for classes after the festive season holidays, the school authorities need to inculcate frequent health education sessions to the learners on the prevention COVID-19.
The school management is also being asked to monitor school attendance to track student and staff absence and compare against usual absenteeism patterns at the school.
Coronavirus alert
They should also alert local health authorities about large increases in student and staff absenteeism due to respiratory illnesses.
Other preventive measures being encouraged are:
• Sick students, teachers and other staff should not come to school
• Schools should enforce regular hand washing with safe water and soap, alcohol rub/hand sanitizer
• Frequent cleaning and disinfection of the commonly touched surfaces and objects at the school
• Schools should provide water, sanitation and waste management facilities and follow environmental cleaning and decontamination procedures
• Schools should promote social distancing (a term applied to certain actions that are taken to slow down the spread of a highly contagious disease, including limiting large groups of people coming together)
• Staggering approach on classes could help to reduce overcrowding
• Proper wearing of mask and safe disposal
• Practicing cough and sneeze etiquette
Coronavirus alert
In her statement, Secretary Mussa said the Ministry shall closely monitor all education institutions and advise of any changes and directions according to the situation on the ground.
“The Ministry is aware that COVID-19 is amidst us and appeals for education institutions to be in constant touch with the community health surveillance systems so that the institutions are always alert on issues of public health.
“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.
Coronavirus alert
“All educators, stakeholders and the general public are reminded that the school calendar is harmonized for all education institutions at all levels whether public or private.”
She stressed that no education institution should operate outside the academic calendar and calls upon all institutions to strictly adhere to and be in full compliance with this directive.
Meanwhile, the Ministry is yet to announce results of the investigations into the leaked MSCE exams.
President Chakwera expressed great concern
In November, President Lazarus Chakwera Minister of Education a seven-day period to work with Malawi National Examination Board (MANEB) to investigate on who leaked the examinations and to re-administer the cancelled exam before the end of January 2021.
Speaking at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe during a state of the nation address on emerging issues, Chakwera had raised concern that the cancellation of the exams had affected hundreds of thousands of students and that was unacceptable.
“Whatever the motive, the leakage is clearly a deliberate act of criminality, impunity and negligence which cannot be allowed to continue,” he had said.
Appeal from Speaker of Parliament Catherine
Gotani Hara