Underprivileged To Pay Secondary School Fees In Installments, Apply for Withdrawal

Following the increment of school fees in Public Secondary Schools, parents can pay fees in installments or withdraw their child for single academic year if they don’t have money.

To achieve cost sharing Ministry of Education Science and Technology recently, announced upward revisions of fees paid for various categories in Public Secondary Schools with immediate effect in 2015/2016 Academic Year. Government said previous rates were “unrealistic and too little”

Mussa: parents can negotiate with head teachers

Speaking in Lilongwe on Wednesday evening, Director of Secondary and Distance Education, Chikondano Mussa, says in view of the new changes Head Teachers have already been advised to give students adequate time to pay school fees. 

She therefore advised parents and guardians having difficulties in paying fees at once to negotiate with Head Teachers on modalities on how to pay school fees by installments. However she said installments should be done within one specific term.

In her speech, Mussa said in situations where parents have completely failed to find fees, there is an option of application for withdrawal of their child and reserve the place. 

“They should write to the Education Division Manager through the Head Teacher, a letter of withdrawal of their child from school in that academic year and request for the place to be reserved for the following academic year.” Said Mussa

But she has indicated that when the reservation period elapse, students would be required to apply for the re-admission in the following academic year at their previous school.

“The reservation of the place is only for one year except where medical condition and other circumstances dictate otherwise” she stated

Among other grounds set for possible withdrawal are; being pregnant or responsible for pregnancy, prolonged sickness and taking care of siblings (in case of child headed family) but the ministry stressed that evidence must be provided when making the application for withdrawal or re-admission.

Noting that a good number of students failed to proceed with the education because of lack of school fees and other vulnerabilities, Mussa said Government and other stakeholders will continue to provide bursaries to the neediest of the needy students in Public Secondary Schools through bursary scheme that was introduced in 2010 along with guidelines to govern bursary provision.

Mussa indicated that bursary structures are currently at three levels; school based bursary committee, District based bursary committee, and division bursary committee. 

She said the Ministry provides twenty bursary beneficiary identification forms to all public schools which a school bursary committee use to identify, rank and select the most vulnerable students according to their “degree of neediness”

She then urged parents and guardians to check with their District Councils on what other types of bursaries exist within their district which could be accessed by their children

Egypt Training Prepare Malawi Police To Fight Terrorism

Paratrooper officer getting scholarship from Egypt

Group of Malawi Police Service officers that attended the recent Capacity Building programme in Cairo, says Egyptian skills and techniques on national security prepares Malawi police in combating acts of terrorism.

Some countries closer to Malawi including Kenya have experienced acts of terror in recent years, a waking up call for Malawi to strengthen its security in preparations to combat such acts in case may happen in near future.

New batch posing with Egyptian Ambassador
And other Malawi Government officials 

Representative of the Six Malawi Police officers, who went to Cairo for capacity building training in different areas, Gladson Chipumphula also Deputy Director of Police responsible for Operations, says police officers have learnt a lot of skills from Egypt.

Chipumphula was speaking in Lilongwe on Monday evening at Egyptian Embassy during presentation ceremony for Awarding Capacity Building Scholarships other 16 Malawians working in various disciplines.

He said “The training to do with terrorism is very important to Malawi as well. Countries closer to us including Kenya and Somalia they are faced with a lot of terrorist activities. So, one day we might wake up to see that those people have migrated to Malawi.

So it is better to have the knowledge in place than wait for the situation to come and yet we don’t even have capacity to combat those situations” he said

Chipumphula who graduated as top of class in Cairo in the class of Anti-riot for police Commanders said the training has given them skills in proper use of modern sophisticated equipments currently not available in Malawi and professional handling of situations like riots. 

“The curriculum covered throughout the course one would see that Egyptians have gone further. They even have modern and sophisticated technologies which they use even to police demonstrations and make sure that they are working professionally.” He said

Chipumphula while thanking Egyptian Embassy he also mentioned that the training has helped them to share ideas and skills with other police officers from other 20 African countries that participated in the training.

Ambassador El-Adawy: We will support Malawi 

“For Egypt, we are giving hope to Malawi because, with hope and with work then Malawi can develop.” Said Egyptian Ambassador to Malawi His excellence Maher El-Adawy “This programme is about exposure, getting latest techniques and technologies and networking because they are not just learning from Egyptians but they are also learning from other participants from other African countries.”

 “The world is now is very competitive and we need to move forward as fast as possible so if a brotherly or sisterly country like Egypt is offering this to Malawi I think it is a good thing that Malawians can benefit.” Said El-Adawy

He also said Egypt is not looking at the cost of the programme but how much it is benefiting Malawi because Egypt is not expecting anything in return. 

Chilabade; Malawi is has skill shortage 

Mean while Malawi Government has thanked the Government of Egypt for its support to Malawi through Capacity training programmes which has seen over 114 persons receive training in their field.

“This means a lot to the Government of Malawi because we have skill shortages in various areas, and we are looking at partners who can help us build capacity in those areas.” said Blessings Chilabade Principle Secretary of Human Resource Management who represented Malawi Government at the event.

“Government of Egypt has been one of our close partners in terms of addressing some of those areas that they have expertise based on our needs” he said

Egyptian Government on Monday awarded 16 Capacity Building programs financed by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) in some of Egypt Premier Institutions in the fields of Health, Agriculture, Defence and Trade. 

The group is composed of candidates in the field of: Safe Motherhood for doctors, Health Care Workers or Nurses (2) and Women Health Across Lifespan for African Nurse Leaders (5); Animal Production (2); Paratroopers (5); and Data and Information Analysis (2).

Since September 2014, before this batch, Egypt has provided 98 capacity building programme in the fields of Health, Police, Information, Diplomacy, Agriculture, Trade, Rural Development, Empowerment of Women, Natural Resources, Education, among others. With this group Egypt has now offered 114 Capacity Building Programs.

'Last Chance’ New Malawian Movie Launching On Friday

A local theatre, ‘Theatre International’ is set to premier at Golden Peacock Hotel its first film Mwayi Wotsiriza (Last Chance/Dernière Chance) on Friday the 2nd of October 2015. Performed in Chichewa language but has English and French subtitles, Mwayi Wotsiriza weaves its themes around sexual abuse of girls and working conditions of teachers in rural primary schools.

In the video clip released by Theatre International, a frustrated teacher named Chidyanji ‘propositions’ a daughter of an economically vulnerable rural woman and impregnates her. The system, already baffled by inadequacy of teaching staff, has to find a way of disciplining him.

The film’s Artistic Director, Chancy Mauluka says through engagement of reason and appeal to sympathy, Mwayi Wotsiriza drives audiences towards reflecting on some problems that demotivate teachers in primary schools alongside sexual abuse of the girl child by the male teacher. And most importantly, it calls for action.

Says Mauluka; “Mwayi Wotsiriza is a tragedy that aims at awakening discussion on issues concerning girls’ rights and basic education in Malawi.

It is a film that goes beyond entertainment and quests for solutions. Apart from entertainment-fanatic audiences, the film will appeal to development-oriented minds as it offers opportunities for facilitating community and social change.”

For the private sector, he added “Mwayi Wotsiriza opens a platform for conceptualizing strategic corporate social outreach,”

Actors featured in the film include Chancy Mauluka also former actor of the Chancellor College Traveling Theatre who featured as Ahedi (Head Teacher) in the once famous Timasukirane Soap by the Story Workshop, Rhoda Malowa of the then Chancellor College Theatre Heights, and Steve Mphonda who has a long history of acting with a number of theatre groups in Lilongwe as well as other visiting international theatre companies. Mwayi Wotsiriza, written and Directed by the Chancellor College trained Chancy Mauluka, will have first-night screening at the Golden Peacock Hotel in Lilongwe this Friday, from 7:00 PM.

Door fee is at K2000 and that Theatre International will also sell DVD’s of the film.

Malawi Introduces Visa Regime To Visa Paying Countries

Kalilani making and govt officials

Foreign nationals whose countries require Malawians to pay visa to enter their countries will now be required to pay visa to enter Malawi effective 1st October 2015.

The announcement made in Lilongwe on Monday evening cuts a long time regime where Malawi government allowed foreign nationals from visa paying countries to enter the country without visa.

Dr. Kalilani

Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Dr. Jean Kalilani when making the announcement, however, said the changes will not affect: Nationals from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, except Angola; Nationals from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); Diplomats and Government officials; and Nationals from all countries that do not require Malawian nationals to pay visa fees when traveling to such countries.

“The validity of multiple entry visas (6 months and 12 months) shall reciprocate to the validity of multiple entry visa in the corresponding country” said Kalilani

“This decision is normal for reasons of security matters; you cannot just have people just entering the country anyhow, there must be a control and one of them is this visa regime.” added the Minister when asked some of the reasons that necessitated government to implement the new visa regime.

The minister has therefore played down rumour that the decision was anything to do with increasing revenue source base as a result of the current economic situation. But said, government wants to reciprocate visa regime its citizens are being subjected to when they travel to such countries.

Kalilani explained that the new regime was gazetted on 1st July this year, but implementation has been extended to 1st October this year in order to give adequate notices to travelling foreign nationals and the travel industry.

“Travellers are strongly encouraged to obtain their visas well in advance at their nearest Malawi Diplomatic Mission to avoid unnecessary inconveniences at the port of entry.” Warned Kalilani 

She also advised that visa applications can also be made through online requests using Immigration Department website (www.immigration.gov.mw) and that payments may be made through the same Malawi Embassmies, Consulate Offices or at port of entry.

The Table below shows categories of visas, and applicable fees payable. Different rates apply for the same type of Visa depending on whether it has been paid for in Malawi or at a Diplomatic Mission.

Category	Within Malawi (US$)	Malawi Diplomatic Mission (US$)
Transit Valid for 7 days	50	70
Single entry (to be used within 3 months from date of issue)	75	100
Multiple entry valid for 6 months	150	220
Multiple entry valid for 12 months	250	300
Gratis	Free	Free

Over 90 Women Seeks Fistula Treatment At Bwaila Camp

Over 90 women flock to Bwaila Fistula Care Centre in Lilongwe for Obstetric Fistula operation as Fistula Camp begins at the Hospital.

The Camp is expected to run for ten days. But Dr. Ennet Chipungu an Obstetrician and Gynecologist who is a Fistula Surgeon at Bwaila Fistula Care Centre says doctors are ready to do operations to all women.  

Chipungu says two experienced surgeons are in the country to operate on complicated cases of obstetric fistula which local surgeons like herself could not operate on.

The Surgeon has also revealed that during the first day of the camp on Sunday, doctors have screened a woman who has lived with the problem since 1984. She said the problem is huge in the country because the hospital is operating up to 50 women every month and is seeing repairing women who have lived with the problem for 40 years. 

“We have recently operated on woman who lived with the problem since 1971 and another who lived with the problem since 1960’s. This means there are a lot of women with the problem out there. And may be these women that are coming now did not know that it was possible to get treatment.” Said Dr. Chipungu

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator for Freedom from Fistula Foundation, Margaret Moyo said was happy with the response and expressed hope that this camp will definitely assist a lot of women in a short period of time.

“This is really an overwhelming response.” Said Moyo who also expressed readiness to receive more women

Moyo has encouraged women with the problem to come to the hospital at any time “Even after the camp, we will continue to do operations. We are a facility solely dedicated for obstetric fistula repair, so any time the woman walks in she is welcome.” 

She said the operations are being done at no cost and a fistula patient stays in the hospital depending on the complexity of the operation. But said two to three weeks is the minimum period for simple case.

“We want to encourage women, that fistula is repairable. And we urge everyone to pass this information. Please fish out women living with the problem. Encourage them to come to Bwaila Fistula Care Centre so that they don’t miss this opportunity” pleaded Moyo 

Obstetric Fistula is an abnormal connection between the bladder and or therectum and the vagina which result in the continuous leakage of urine and or feaces  through the vagina following obstructed labour.

The Camp has been organized with support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) – Malawi, Freedom from Fistula Foundation and Ministry of Health.

Judicial Complex, New Structures To End Courtroom Problems In Lilongwe

new court structure

The Malawi Judiciary says it is working against clock to ensure that Judges and Magistrates in the capital city, Lilongwe have enough courtrooms and Judge Chambers.

The assurance comes amid continued outcry by some of High Court Judges in Lilongwe who are presiding cashgate cases.

Recently Justice Fiona Mwale noted with concern of lack of enough courtrooms as a main reason which delayed sitting of  Leonard Kalonga and Angela Katengeza cashgate cases.

some buildings built at High Court premises 

Speaking to Spokesperson for Judiciary, Mlenga Mvula says the Judiciary is electrifying the problem of court spaces in Lilongwe by building new facility at the High Court premises which will house number of Judges and that there are plans to have a Judicial Complex to ease the current problem.

 “It is true that our Judges in the central region have the problem of infrastructure in terms of chambers and court rooms but government is working hand in hand with the judiciary to ease that challenge.” He said

“We are constructing a new structure that would take on board judges in Lilongwe. The building will accommodate only four to five chambers, but this means that after completion of this structure it will at least ease down the challenge we are facing at the moment.” He said while indicating that the structure after completion will have modern facilities that will enable Judges to work even during late hours.

Mvula further noted that the problem has even extended to the Commercial Court currently operating in City Centre due to insufficient space at the court premises and that Chief Residence Magistrates are also operating in a very poor environment whereby it is congested and poor infrastructure.

He then said this problem will be tackled in the plans for the construction of Judicial Complex in the City Centre.

“But we know that Government is planning to build a Judicial Complex in City Centre in Lilongwe that will take on board all the court rooms, chambers for both Magistrates as well as Judges. So we hope that if this is taken into account by the end of completion the problem might be eased. It may not be not completely ended but almost 50% to 70% of the current problem will be eased.” said Mvula

Malawi Land For Industrial Hemp, Mutharika Wants It Grown

A Malawian company ‘Invegrow’ says the country is potential land for Industrial Hemp farming in Africa continent and can offer enormous economic opportunity once it is adopted as cash crop.

 

Tanya Clarke

Invegrow Founder and Director, Tanya Clarke disclosed this in Lilongwe when her company and another South African company, Hemporium were making presentations of importance of Industrial Hemp and how it must be disassociated with Indian Hemp or Marijuana locally known as Chamba.

Clarke said Industrial Hemp not used for smoking can support diversify Malawi economy and offer opportunity for foreign exchange earnings.

She said; “Government is pushing for the agro-processing and farming, The Industrial Hemp is a crop with extremely economic potential and supports National Export Strategy of oil seed cluster in Malawi.”

Products from Industrial Hemp

Concrete for construction can be obtained fro the crop

From natural fibres of the crop, Clarke said can be used make range of products such as: food products for the health food market; construction materials and automotive industries; pharmaceutical products; cosmetics; and textiles.

Currently she said the crop is being grown in over 36 countries across the globe and the plant grows organically easily; grown without herbicides or a lot of pesticides.

“Climate is good here and almost everyone is an expert farmer, so we really see Malawi becoming a World Leader in Industrial Hemp” she added

Since, some people have got a very conservative view towards the plant and are very scared of hemp mostly due to regulations, Clarke, clarified that Industrial Hemp is not Marijuana but are of the same family. She said industrial hemp therefore does not contain psychoactive chemical elements that affect people when smoked.

The Invegrow founder has asked support from all Malawians to request Government have the Legislative changes of definitions of cannabis so that the hemp is adopted as a new cash crop in Malawi and Malawians benefiting from its products on both a health and economic level. However, she said this requires market access, creating production lines and showing a proof of concept model.

Tony Budden

To cement Invegrow’s remarks, Marketing Manager for Hemporium, Tony Budden, emphasized that the Industrial Hemp fibre is three times stronger than cotton. “Its fabrics are durable and long lasting and that its seeds are incredibly healthy source of protein and nutritious oils packed with all 8 of the Omega or essential fatty acids needed for immune system.” He said

                                          

“This crop fits so well into small scale farming and commercial farming. So the opportunities are definitely there.” He added

Budden also distanced the herb from Chamba saying the herb is not used for smoking it and is not a drug crop. But he said though, it is from the same family, it is used for different purposes.

“In nature we have to look at how we use things, the plant is not bad; some people use for bad purposes, while some people use for good purpose. So we are promoting the Industrial uses of the herb plant” he added

Budden also expressed hope of opportunity for change in Malawi looking at the way government has recently responded to calls for the approval of the plant and how people look at the plant now.

He said it is very important that government has allowed Chitedze Research Station to carryout study of the crop with funding from Invegrow (Government as a joint venture to do the research.)

The Hemporioum Marketing Director has emphasized that said it will be up to the government to make new regulations to allow Industrial Hemp grown and also Malawians to demand speedy enactment of the legislation so that they can begin to grow it and start to realize the benefits.

Hon Boniface Kadzamira: President Mutharika wants it

Meanwhile the Nchisi North Parliamentarian, Hon Boniface Kadzamira who first brought the issue in the National Assembly that the Industrial Hemp should be grown in Malawi, has hinted that President Peter Mutharika expressed his full support to idea that the herb be grown in the country during recent meeting with him.

“Government has seen the need to diversify and try Industrial Hemp” said the parliamentarian who could not hide his excitement following government go ahead to Chitedze Research Station for trials of growing the plant.

“Since I mention this issue in Parliament, I see change in people’s opinion toward the plant because at first they thought I was talking about Marijuana. But now people from my constituency and others from across the country are calling to ask for the seeds” said Kadzamira

However, the parliamentarian has since urged media to create awareness on the economic benefits of the hemp and how it is different from Marijuana because at the moment he said Malawians knows little on this matter.