By Twimepoki Mangani

Lilongwe, Mana: Malawi National Examination Board (MANEB) has rolled out their online registration and E payment exercise in which 95 percent of the candidates have registered.

This has come after MANEB outlined 19 districts that would carry out the registration which was slated to close on March 11, 2022 for online registration and March 12, 2022 for the examination fee E payments.

Minister of Education, Agnes NyaLonje announced that the payment period for the fee would be extended until 30th March insisting that it would allow guardians and parents to make payments.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana), Public Relations Manager for MANEB Mayamiko Chiwaya said the 95 percent of the candidates have registered and paid for examination fee in 34 education districts.

“The 19 education districts used the online method while the registered number in the 15 districts that used semi-automated system is unknown,” she said.

Chiwaya added that the online registration process was done to ensure there was efficiency in management of examinations.

“Enhancement of efficiency comes in because online registration and E payment systems operate in real time, meaning candidates are captured in our data base instantly upon payment, data is important for planning of examination activities…

“Real time operation is helping speed up some processes which ordinarily take time when we use the semi-automated system, which require schools to capture data and send it to MANEB via the District Education Manager office’s,” he said.

The Executive Director of Civil Society Education Coalition Malawi (CSECMW) Benedicto Kondowe hailed MANEB for the new reforms which ensure learners and guardians are in control of their examination affairs.

“The new reform is the way to go because previously there were numerous claims of mismanaged funds consequently causing some students to fail to sit for examinations when their payments were already done,” he said.

Kondowe said the extension of the deadline is good because it would allow learners and guardians to register and pay for the examination.

“With this system MANEB will monitor progress whilst noting that technological advancement is quiet limiting hence an extension will allow students and guardians to register therefore the consideration is worth noting,” he explained.

Kondowe said MANEB should continue with the exercise in the next academic years and hailed them for having multiple options in light of shortage of the internet.

“They have done a pilot this year and its progress will be subject to its success upon completion, apart from that, since only 34% have access to the internet this meant registration will be problematic in the rural areas however diversity through Airtel Money and Mpamba will sort out the problem of relying on the internet,” he said.

This online project is being supported by the Ministry of Education through EQUALs project, it is efficient and the E payment systems funds will be paid directly into MANEB account therefore no misappropriation of funds by some untrustworthy school administrators.

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