Makeni News February 1999

Dear Friends of Makeni,

Here is another brief newsletter about the work of Makeni Ecumenical Centre:

1. Enrolments for the new year for the Pre School and Primary School of the Centre are now completed - 40 children were enrolled in the Pre School, and 325 children in the 7 classes of the Primary School.

2. The examination results for the Senior Electronics Course, whose students sat for the government examinations in January 1999 have just been announed by the department of Technical Education & Vocational Training. Our results are rather better this year than previous years, we are glad to announce. 29 students sat for the final examinations for the Electronics Craft Certificate. 116 examinations in all were written.The Centre had to pay the examination fees as students could not afford them. The Centre will have to withhold certificates until studentsa have
reimbursed the Centre for the fees. 14 students obtained passes in all subjects. 7 students have to re-sit for one subject only. 8 students have to re-sit for two subjects. 18 credits (60-69%), 23 merits (70-79%) and 19 distinctions (80-100%) were earned. Practicals scored by far the highest, Mathematics the poorest.

3. The Centre was shocked to discover that a recent government regulation demands that employers must pay 3 months salary in retirement benefits for every year worked by employees. Since most of our employees have worked at the Centre for many, many years, the financial consequences of this ruling are most serious for the Centre. Government passed this legislation because it can not provide pensions for retired people.

All for now! Thank you for all your support!

Yours in Christ,

Fr Pierre J Dil / Hon. Chairman

Very Revd Canon Pierre J Dil,
Dean Emeritus Lusaka Cathedral of the Holy Cross,
Hon. Chairman Makeni Ecumenical Centre
Work address: P O Box 50255, Lusaka, Zambia
Private correspondence: Private Bag RW51313, Lusaka, Zambia
Telephone: Home 260-1-274991 Fax: ditto - after previous notification
Office Fax: 260-1-272437 [office hours only]
e-mail: mecdil@zamnet.zm