|
|
|
CSBI releases first findings
By
Our Reporter - 14-05-2002 |
|
|
Civil Society Budget Initiative (CSBI) survey in some parts of Malawi indicates that there is a serious shortage of agricultural extension staff, a serious problem with record keeping in clinics, and that large numbers of untrained teachers may persist until 2040.
CSBI has four networks, namely Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet), Civil Society Coalition for Quality Basic Education (CSCQBE), Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) and Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN).
Cisanet’s report shows that the Ministry of Agriculture needs about 1,250 additional field assistants so that the most basic services can be provided to all villages in the Extension Planning Areas (EPAs).
The report says because of staff shortages, four to six field assistants in an EPA are currently required to cover an average of 79 villages outside their assigned sections in order that every village in an EPA should be covered.
The network report also says lack of transport is fuelling the problem in the current situation, as three out of every four field assistants interviewed indicated that inability to reach all villages is the main obstacle to service delivery.
“Failure to provide travel and transport allowances (T&T;) was the principal constraint. At least 22 percent of the respondents had not received T&T; in six months and 11 percent had never received T&T;,” reads part of Cisanet’s report.
In the education sector, the CSCQBE report says government’s policy investment framework in education, which targets at reducing the number of untrained teachers by 30 percent by 2002, has been missed and will not be reached until 2020.
The network also reports that the 2012 target of no more than 10 percent untrained teachers will not be reached until 2040 because of current pace of training teachers.
The CSCQBE has also observed that the lowest paid temporary teachers earn about K3,300 even after the increase, which is 33 percent lower than the minimum of K5,000 proposed by government.
Reads part of CSCQBE’s report: “Based on this survey, on average, teachers’ compensation increased by 68 percent when both salaries and allowances are taken into account. This is a welcome increase and is long overdue. However, most of the increases went to about half of the teachers.”
In the health sector, the MHEN observes that the problem is mainly with record keeping, as tally cards are currently not being used properly and that requisition forms are not being kept and stored properly.
“Data collected on availability and records for 26 drugs at district hospitals and 16 drugs at health clinics showed serious problems with record keeping. These problems will undermine meaningful monitoring if they are not addressed,” reads part of the report.
Louis Chimango, chairman for Budget and Finance Committee of Parliament which summoned CSBI to testify its findings to Malawians, said the three reports are only preliminary and may change when the survey is completed, as the current results are only for the first two quarters of the 2001-2002 financial year.
Chimango also said the report is intended to stimulate an informed debate, as the government and the public are expected to respond. |
|
|
|
|
|
