CSEC STATEMENT ON THE MUST SELECTION
Lilongwe- Thursday, 20th August, 2021.
We, at the Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC), have observed with great concern that this year’s Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) selection (2021/22 academic year) has highlighted glaring disparities in the country’s education system when it comes to issues of equity and inclusivity.
It is tragic to note that only 19% of the selected 604 for the incoming cohort are females. Even more distressing is that despite Community Day Secondary schools (CDSS) constituting about 70% of enrolment in secondary schools and being populated by the poor and marginalized, only 11% of students from CDSS have been selected. The majority have been students who have the privilege of attending private and international schools. The table below summarizes selection distribution:
The above developments are greatly hurting and an injustice to students and parents from poor households and minority groups as well as the education system at large. This is a clear manifestation of prejudice and discrimination and greatly threatens the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 which is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. It also threatens the attainment of NESIP 2020- 2030 goals. Situations such as what has happened with MUST impair the aspirations of both the present and future generations.
We, at CSEC, wish to remind government that it has the constitutional obligation to promote, protect and fulfil the right to education, and failure to do so will be abdication of this noble duty. Section 25 (1) of the Constitution of Malawi entitles everyone to education.
It is for the foregoing that we, at CSEC, implore government to rise up to the occasion and set up policies and preconditions and allocate adequate resources that ensure that even the most vulnerable groups have access to learning opportunities and address gender imbalances as well as the plight of students in CDSSs. We are of the view that sexism, classism and elitism have no place in our education system.
CSEC wishes to urge government that it needs to take into consideration marginalized students in CDSS by increasing exposure to real science learning opportunities. For this to happen the government needs to invest in constructing laboratories as to give CDSS equal chances with their private counterparts. Unless this is deliberately and diligently done, affirmative action, although considered in the selection will remain insufficient.
Moreover, the government should look into training and recruiting more female secondary school teachers in science subjects to act as role models to girl students. In the same vein, Government with all its stakeholders should look into conducting more science camps for girls so as to encourage them to pursue more science related careers.
In conclusion, CSEC believes that government’s obligation to promote, protect and fulfill the right to education entails removal of barriers that impede access to education for the marginalised groups by applying the reasonable accommodation principle. According to Article 2 of the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, “reasonable accommodation” means “necessary and appropriate modification and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden, where needed in a particular case, to ensure to persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and fundamental freedoms”.
