Chakwera to meet TUM leadership

President Lazarus Chakwera is this morning scheduled to meet the leadership of Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) in an effort to find a lasting solution to end the ongoing teachers’ striker. This comes after the ongoing discussions between the TUM leadership and government leadership ended in a deadlock on Monday.

TUM president, Willie Malimba, has confirmed.

Malimba said the two parties failed to reach an agreement on Monday but declined to comment on their meeting with Chakwera today. TUM leadership met government officials from both Ministry of Education and Taskforce on COVID19 yesterday.

A source who was part of the meeting on Monday said initially, they agreed that issues raised by TUM should be looked at critically and be addressed whilst children are attending classes before TUM changed its stand forcing Chakwera to call for an audience with its leadership.

Amongst other issues; TUM is requesting government to consider recruiting the IPTE13 teachers, promotion of some teachers, PPEs for teachers and COVID-19 risk allowances.

The Ministry of Education officials, outlined to teachers on how they are going to address the teachers’ concerns on recruitment, promotion and provision of the PPEs. On the issue of risk allowances, the COVID-19 Taskforce has taken up the matter and is expected to come to a conclusion today, 23rd February 2021.

The TUM leadership is scheduled to meet Chakwera at 11am at State House in Lilongwe.