An education rights activist has raised alarm over the Malawi National Examinations Board’s (MANEB) failure to provide identity cards for Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) candidates, warning that the move could compromise the credibility and fairness of the national exams.
MANEB yesterday disclosed that the dispatch of candidates’ identity cards for the 2025 PSLCE examinations had been delayed.
According to MANEB, the contractor who was tasked with the job of providing the identity cards faced foreign exchange challenges, which affected their ability to meet the contractual deadlines. Instead, schools will use manual identification methods—an approach that has drawn criticism from stakeholders.
Benedicto Kondowe, a renowned education policy analyst and also Executive Director of the Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC), described the development as “a serious lapse in contingency planning and risk management.”
“Relying on manual identification increases the risk of impersonation, verification delays, and record inconsistencies. These issues can undermine the integrity and public trust in the examination system,” said Kondowe in an interview with Malawi24.
He noted that the absence of identity cards could cause confusion among candidates, particularly in rural schools, where communication and supervision are often limited.
“This situation adds pressure on already overstretched education officials and invigilators, affecting the smooth conduct of the exams,” he added.
Kondowe stressed the importance of establishing resilient systems that can absorb logistical and economic shocks, such as exploring local procurement options or ensuring timely intervention when risks arise.
In a memo, addressed to all directors of education and sports across the country, MANEB Executive Director, Dorothy Nampota, directed all head teachers to help identify candidates manually at the exam room entrances if the ID cards arrive after the exam begins.
This year’s PSLCE exams are scheduled to run from 22 to 23 May.
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