Education experts have warned that afternoon shifts among some lower primary school learners could worsen school dropout rates in the country.

The Nation spotchecks established that junior classes joined their senior counterparts on the shift system in October this year, requiring them to attend school in the afternoon every week day.

The sampled schools included Chipala, Mtsiriza and Kankodola primary schools in Lilongwe, Mchengautuba and Area 1B primary schools in Mzuzu and Chirimba Primary School in Blantyre.

Sharra: We have to be extremely cautious

Education and child rights activists have since warned of a potential rise in school dropouts if the junior primary school learners continue attending classes in shifts.

The experts’ concern is based on the fact that children have a short attention span, as such, should attend school in the morning when they are at their peak of concentration.

Education expert Steve Sharra urged government to be cautious when implementing and proposing a policy, adding that extending the shift strategy to junior classes, especially Standard 1 and 2 learners is a recipe for worsening dropout rates.

He said: “For Standard 1 and 2 learners, we have to be extremely cautious in how we propose and implement this policy. This is a very sensitive stage of children’s development.

“Extending the shifting strategy to six and seven-year-olds is a recipe for worsening the dropout rates. The Ministry of Education statistics show that the highest dropout rates happen in standards 1 to 4.”

Sharra further pointed out that the whole shift system should be seen as a temporary stop gap measure and Malawi as a country must abolish it.

In a written response, education activist Benedicto Kondowe described the government’s move on shifts as unrealistic and insensitive.

He said young learners do not only lack concentration, but also find it difficult to walk long distances when heat is at its peak in the afternoon.

Kondowe said it is government’s duty in fulfilling the right to education which entails providing an enabling environment for children to learn and accomplish their education goals.

Child rights activist Amos Chibwana described the development as worrisome, saying education for small children is critical and it is important that all sectors must value and respect children’s right to education.

“Government must construct extra school blocks in schools which have a huge population of learners. This will help accommodate all children in morning classes,” he said.

Commenting on the same, another child rights activist Zipporah Jede said including junior classes on the shift strategy may affect attendance levels in the long run, thereby risking high dropout rates.

Ministry of Education spokesperson Mphatso Nkuonera said the shift system for lower primary is a temporary measure aimed at decongesting classrooms.

But he was non-commital on when it will be phased out.

“It is a temporary measure but on when it is going to be phased out, I can say it is indefinite,” he said.

A 2022 Education Management Information System report indicates that there are about 50 000 permanent primary classrooms, leading to 98 learners per class, hence a deficit of about 33 000 classrooms to achieve the recommended teacher-learners ratio of 1 to 60.

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