Initially, the teachers were given a 5-month contract in February to expire this month as part of the move to decongest pupils in classrooms amid covid-19 scare.

Confirming the development, ministry’s spokesperson, Chikondi Chimala, has told Zodiak Online Wednesday, the ministry has provided funds to individual school management committees that recruited them to extend their contracts.

“I can confirm that the ministry has provided funds to School Management Committees to extend contracts of the auxiliary teachers for two months,” said Chimala, without disclosing the future of the teachers after expiry of the contract.

Meanwhile, Teachers Union of Malawi president, Willie Malimba, said with covid-19 cases rising auxiliary teachers will be the only key way out.

“It’s very sad that government has decided to add two months to auxiliary teachers instead of just recruiting them,” said Malimba.

Malimba said with cases of covid-19 are rising, the auxiliary teachers are the ones that can assist to decongest classes, and the decision by government is not clear and has not pleased them.

Most of the teachers recruited were under the IPTE 13 program, who also recently demonstrated as a move to force government to recruit them.