Managing director for the Academy Ernest Kaonga says K1 million award will go to Alinafe Chulu of Playdor Primary School in Blantyre for emerging the best and K500 thousand to each of three boys who have emerged the second best.

The three are Henderson Levison from Nampeya Primary School in Machinga, Angel Mbewe of Mphongolo Primary School in Kasungu and Wakisa Ngosi from Ekwendeni Primary School in Mzimba North, all males.

The award presentation, according to Kaonga, will take place on Friday at the Bingu International Conventional Centre in Lilongwe at the heroes party.

“As Maranatha Academy we feel in promoting the girl child education and having seen that this year it’s a female student who was top in PSLCE we said why can’t we encourage her with an award.

So we are presenting cash amounting to K1 million to her as a token of appreciation and encouraging her to work more extra harder. We know that this award will also enhance competition among learners in Standard 8 in the country,” he said.

Kaonga says the decision to award the three other learners follows public demand on social media that erupted after the initial announcement that they will award the number one only.

"After going through comments on social media we thought it wise to include the three boys who came second. We are not only recognising the boy from Machinga but even those two from Kasungu and Mzimba," he said.

Kaonga said as Maranatha their aim is help government in uplifting education in the country.

Apart from awarding the four pupils, they will have luncheon with the Maranatha Academy Managing Director at the Presidential Hotel.

During the heroes party, 13 other outstanding students in the 2023 Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examination will be awarded.

During the ceremony the Academy will recognize and award students from both public and private secondary schools who scored six to nine points in the MSCE exams.

Vitumbiko Kaunda, from Mtendere secondary school will receive K1 million for scoring six points while Arnold Nyasulu from Robert Laws Secondary School will also be awarded for scoring seven points.

Praise Kabaghe and Hastings Kumwenda from Maranatha Boys Academy will be awarded for scoring 8 points each.

The school will also recognize nine girls from public and private institutions for attaining nine points