MANAonline
New school block motivates learners
By Andrew Mkonda
Lilongwe, September 17, Mana: Head-teacher for Mlodzezi primary school in Traditional Authority Chadza, Rapheal Nyondo has hailed Lilongwe district council for constructing a modern school block at the school worth K37 million saying this will help to increase enrolment at the school.
Nyondo was speaking on Monday, when officials from Lilongwe district council and the media visited the project to appreciate its progress.
“This school was constructed a long time ago. Some of the old school blocks were constructed by parents from this area. So, having this modern school block here is a morale booster to our learners,” he said.
He further said before the new school block was constructed, the enrolment was very low, but now the school has over 1500 learners.
The head-teacher, however, asked other well-wishers to continue assisting the school saying it still needs additional blocks and teacher’s houses.
Speaking in a separate interview Chairperson for Mlodzezi primary school, Jim Kabekele said the classroom block has come at the right time when the learners were learning under trees due to lack of school blocks.
“Let me take this opportunity to thank government for the different developments that it is undertaking in the area, including at this school. This is what we have been looking for, for so many years,” he said.
Kabekele then urged parents and learners to take good care of the infrastructure so that it benefits even the generation to come.
He then urged other well-wishers to emulate what the council has done through District Development Fund (DDF) by supporting the council so that it achieves its dream of transforming the learning environment in different schools in the district.
Lilongwe District Director of Public Works Sydney Chiphaka said it is the wish of the council to transform the learning environment of many schools in the district by constructing modern infrastructure.
“I can assure you, we will reach out to all schools that do not have proper structure suitable for learning through different interventions,” he said.
The K37 million Mlodzezi classroom block has been constructed with District Development Fund (DDF).
Minister of Tourism calls for mindset change by agencies
By Bishop Witmos
Mangochi, October 2, Mana: Minister of Tourism, Vera Kamtukule challenged government and private sectors to be at the helm of propelling the attainment of the country’s development blue-print of Malawi 2063 vision.
Speaking during the Leadership Summit at Sunbird Nkopola in Mangochi this week Kamtukule said that the realisation of Malawi's 2063 development agenda cannot be achieved if public and private sectors fail to embrace mindset change.
She therefore asked government and private sectors to align their strategic plans in line with Agriculture, Tourism and Mining (ATM) strategy.
‘‘Realisation of aspirations of 2063 Malawi development agenda will not be accomplished if government is working in isolation. Each one of us, both the government and private sector, must align themselves to 2063 through agriculture, tourism and mining to move towards transformation.’
‘‘Let us focus on ourselves as we want to become a middle-income economy. For us to achieve that we need everyone on board,’ she said.
Kamtukule however expressed satisfaction with progress of the Malawi Implementation (MIP-1) for the first five years by both government agencies as well as private sector, saying they are making strides.
‘‘As government, we feel that we are on the right track during the five years of MIP-1, but a lot also needs to be done if the desired outcomes are to be realized,’’ she said.
The leadership conference was organized by Wealth Magazine, a local entrepreneur and business marketing publication, under a theme, Aligning ATM strategy towards Malawi 2063: the leadership perspective’.
In his remarks, Head of Research at National Planning Commission (NAC) Andrew Jamali said it was pleasing to note that alignment of Malawi strategies was taking shape.
‘‘As a commission, we are happy that Malawi has set goals and that our strategies are taking shape. That is what we want,’’ said Jamali.
Wealth Magazine, Executive Manager, Harry Chima urged technocrats to share knowledge and skills to push the ATM strategy and the Malawi 2063 aspirations forward.
Over 500 heads of government agencies and the private sector attended the conference.
Museums and Monuments promoting education and tourism
By Pickson Chipeso
Lilongwe, October 2, Mana: Deputy Director for Museums and Monuments responsible for Education and Outreach services in the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Yohane Edward Nyirenda has said it’s high time the country started investing in museums and monuments as they are a center of education and tourism.
Speaking in an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Tuesday, Nyirenda said museums and monuments have exhibitions for the People to see as they are education resources.
"These provide some insights into Malawi`s history, art as well as natural heritage which fosters understanding and appreciation about our country" he said.
Nyirenda said Museums and monuments collaborate with education institutions for research and have some of memorandum of understanding (Mou)with Universities in Malawi like Mzuzu and Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST)
He said museums and monuments involve the local community in its programming which fosters social cohesion and encourages participation of people in heritage and cultural events.
Traditional Authority (T/A) Kambwiri of Salima said Museums are helping on development through tourism because it attracts tourists and help to keep Malawi`s history for the coming generation.
Word springs Youth Ministry to hold a youth conference
By Vida Msiyo
Blantyre, October 2, Mana: A youth conference aimed at achieving holistic empowerment organized by Word springs Youth Ministry, will take place on October 5 at Golden Peacock Hotel in Blantyre.
One of the organizers for this conference, Felix Chayang'ana, said in an interview on Wednesday that the event aims to cultivate youth with a strong foundation in the word of God, equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to become effective leaders and make a positive impact on their communities.
“We believe the word of God offers solutions to all challenges we face, whether in relationships, finances or finding true satisfaction which only comes through Jesus. The conference will enlighten us of the path to follow as youths so that we can have positive impacts in this world,” Chayang’ana said.
He continued to say attendees will also enjoy a diverse range of activities, including music, praise and worship and a performance by one of Malawi’s top gospel artists who will mesmerize the day.
“We will have Paul Kachala on this day as our guest artist. He will take us to great levels just like he always does when it comes to worshiping the Lord. Twinlight, Musicforth, Chigo, and a spoken word session by Brave will be among the highlights,” He added.
Brave Louis Lobe, popularly known as Brave, who is among the performers and will entertain attendees with his spoken words, said he is so excited about the event, and he has promised to deliver the best.
“I am deeply grateful for this opportunity. With anticipation, I look forward to sharing my words at this event knowing that each performance is a sacred chance to grow and offer more in service to the Lord. I trust this event will be a powerful experience of upliftment and grace and I cannot wait to be part of it,” he said.
The event promises a day of spiritual growth and practical life lessons under the theme ‘Jesus is the Real Satisfaction (JITRES)’.
A raffle draw with exciting prizes, including a laptop, hotplate, kettle and shopping vouchers will also be part of the event. Raffle tickets are available for K2,500.
TCM licenses over 65,000 teachers
By Paul Madise
Lilongwe, October 1, Mana; The Ministry of Education has disclosed that the Teachers Council of Malawi (TCM) has licensed over 65,0000 teachers out of 100,000 registered ones as at September 30, 2024.
Public Relations Officer(PRO) for the Ministry, Mphatso Nkuonera revealed this on Tuesday in an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana).
Nkuonera said the teachers licensing has been one of the crucial tasks to be undertaken since the inception of the Teachers Council of Malawi (TCM).
He further revealed the extension of the deadline for the registration and licencing of the teacher’s to 31st December, 2024, stressing that beyond the date, non-registered teachers will not be regarded as teachers,
"The decision to extend the dates has been reached at since the ministry could not manage to register all the teachers who had managed to apply for the licenses during the initial phase which ended in September” he said.
Nkuonera thanked teachers for complying with the law by ensuring that they have the license, observing the initiative will help in guarding the teaching profession.
"We just want to emphasize that the Teachers Council of Malawi was established by the Education Act of 2013 to oversee the registration, licensing and upholding the teaching standards in Malawi, therefore issues of teachers licensing is very important and fall under TCM's mandate," Nkuonera said.
Steve Sherrah, an education expert said the registration of 65,000 teachers signifies the teachers understanding and appreciation of the importance of the initiative.
“This is important because it will enable the Ministry of Education to know who is teaching in the country's classrooms, it will also ensure that only recognised and qualified teachers are allowed to teach” he said.
He said the initiative will also harmonise education standards and the quality of teaching across the public and private sectors of the teaching profession, as well as streamline the career path and progression through continuous professional development.
However, Sherrah appealed to TCM to work on the registration system further by ironing out technical issues that some teachers have complained about.
“Some teachers are still waiting to have their licenses issued months after they registered, the council also needs to move with speed on aligning continuous professional development with license renewal, promotions, and incentives for teachers,” he said.
British High Commissioner dines with Karonga journalists
By George Mponda
Karonga, October 2, Mana: The British High Commissioner to Malawi, Fiona Ritchie on Tuesday treated Karonga-based journalists to a dinner held at Kapirimtende Sunrise Beach Resort in the district.
Ritchie hosted the Karonga-based scribes to the dinner after visiting Karonga District Council offices, Karonga Diocese of the Catholic Church Bishop's house, Kayelekera Uranium Mine and Paramount Chief Kyungu's residence earlier in the day.
During the dinner, Ritchie interacted with the Karonga media personnel on several topics ranging from politics, climate change, press freedom, tourism, international relations and the forthcoming general election in 2024.
Adams Wundaninge, Chairperson for Karonga Press Club hailed the visit by the British High Commissioner describing her as a champion of press freedom in Malawi.
"As we are gearing up towards next year’s general election, there is a need to build the capacity of journalists to avoid misinformation and disinformation which seeks to undermine the truth and partners like the British government should step in," Wundaninge said.
He added, “Journalists have a critical role in promoting transparency, democracy and human rights which is why high-profile individuals like the British High Commissioner must be instrumental in ensuring there is press freedom in the country”.
Women urged to leverage numerical strength for empowerment
By Zenak Matekenya
Dedza, October 2, Mana: Dedza District Council Director of Administration, Dr. Chris Salaniponi has challenged women to capitalize on their numerical advantage to achieve political leadership positions and break down barriers in various spheres.
He made the remarks Tuesday during a Women’s Assembly conducted by Women’s Legal Resources Centre (Worelc) in partnership with Oxfam and with funding from European Union to empower women to smoothly vie for political positions in the 2025 general election.
Currently, the disparity in the district's parliamentary representation is striking with eight male parliamentarians and only two female councilors out of 16.
“In a democratic society, numbers are key to success. Statistics show that we have more females in Malawi. It is sad to note that women are always being oppressed yet they command the numerical strength,” Dr. Salanipoi said.
He said lack of adequate food, water scarcity, and social injustice are among critical challenges that disproportionately impact women and can effectively be addressed by empowering more women to take up leadership roles.
A participant from Kasumbu Women Forum in the area of TA Kasumbu, Linda Mabwera said social and cultural barriers such as intimidation and demeaning comments from both men and fellow women discourage women from engaging in politics.
She emphasized the importance of women supporting each other and abandoning jealousy for the greater good of the nation.
Mabwera praised Worlec’s ‘Demokalse Yokomela Aliyense’ intervention for providing a platform for women to openly discuss their challenges and concerns which when addressed can encourage more women to participate in politics.
“By addressing these challenges, women can unlock their full potential and make a lasting impact in leadership positions,” she said.
Among the participants were from Area and Village Development Committee members and leaders from different community structures from all the eight Traditional Authorities in the district.
NYCOM launches youth empowerment grants
By Ernest Mfunya
Mangochi, October 2, Mana: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM), Rex Chapota said the youth have significant role to play access their economic opportunities in the country.
He said this Tuesday at Mkumba ground at Senior Chief Bwanyambi’s area when NYCOM launched a K100 million youth empowerment grant under the Youth Participation and Empowerment Programme with funding from government to scale up businesses among young people for economic empowerment.
He added that unemployment was worrisome among young people in the country such that most of the unemployed young people in the rural areas.
Chapota expressed hope that the grants under Youth Participation and Employment Programme would create businesses that would reduce the unemployment among young people in the country.
“NYCOM through government’s budget support has launched this cooperative grant to enable young people to start their own businesses but also scale up businesses,
“This is in support of the Agriculture, Tourism and Mining (ATM) strategy which government was advocating and implementing,” he added.
Established youth cooperatives were asked to apply for grants to boosting their businesses, according to NYCOM.
“We are looking at cooperatives that are already in any business or investments and that they are looking for funds to help them improve their businesses such as processing agricultural produces,” Chapota added.
He said that the NYCM has put measures to ensure that the grants are being utilized accordingly to serve its intended purpose.
Executive Director for Mbumundu Cooperative, Yohane Kampira expressed gratitude to NYCOM for giving his group K5 million grant.
He said that the grant would help the cooperative to grow soya beans on a larger scale and be processed into soya milk, soya pieces and other products.
One of the cooperative member, Rita Chapasuka, 22, described the initiative as a plus to young people saying young people especially women at Bwananyambi area had nothing, prompting them to engage in risky behaviors.
NYCOM is a statutory body established under the Act of Parliament; National Youth Council of Malawi Act No. 22 of 1996.
CHAKWERA MEETS USAID
By Arkangel Tembo, Washington DC,USA
Washington DC, USA, September 02, Mana: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nancy Tembo has emphasized the necessity for ongoing collaboration between Malawi and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the country's development efforts.
Tembo Made these remarks on Tuesday following a meeting between President Dr Lazarus Chakwera and a USAID delegation, led by the Prosper coordinator for Africa, British Robinson, at USAID's Headquarters in Washington DC, USA.
Tembo expressed gratitude for USAID's continued contributions towards Malawi's journey to self-reliance, particularly in agriculture, energy, human rights, investments, and other pivotal sectors of development.
"USAID plays a pivotal role in the American Government by significantly aiding the national development of the country," said Tembo.
Tembo commended President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera for taking this significant step in bolstering and fortifying relations between the two parties.
Tembo also highlighted that the meeting shed light on crucial development issues such as energy, investment, food security, and road infrastructure through the Millennium Challenge Compact 2, as well as strategies to enhance further the ties between Malawi and the United States of America.
She emphasized that a primary focus area was Mining Investment, a critical component of the Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining (ATM) Strategy championed by the President to revitalize the country's economy.
"We firmly believe that Malawi can benefit greatly from the expertise and technical support of our American counterparts, particularly in bolstering our mining industry,” she stated.
The Minister stated that USAID had pledged promising opportunities in the mining sector and other key development areas for Malawi.
Furthermore, Tembo disclosed that British Robinson, USAID's Prosper Africa Coordinator, has assured President Chakwera of the institution's commitment to continued collaborative efforts with Malawi in fostering conditions conducive to building a self-reliant nation across various development sectors.
President Chakwera's meeting with the USAID delegation underscores the government's unwavering dedication to advancing the country's development agenda.
This crucial meeting follows President Chakwera's attendance at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Higher Students Board approves K29.4 billion budget
By Bishop Witmos
Mangochi, October 1, Mana: Higher Students’ Loans and Grants Board (HESLGB) has released a provisional list of loans for higher education students for the 2024/2025 academic year, which is pegged at K 29.4 billion.
Making the announcement at a press conference in Mangochi on Tuesday, Chairperson for the Loans and Grants Disbursement Committee, Dr. Henry Chingaipe said that out of the total budget, K28 billion was for students in eight public universities, covering tuition fees and upkeep, while K I.3 billion is for students in 21 private universities.
He said that the Board received 29, 813 loans application from students in 29 public and private higher education institutions, and out of that 28,883 applicants met the eligibility criteria.
“Upon rigorous assessment of the applications, 28,883 applicants met the eligibility criteria, representing 96.9 percent of the loan applicants, and it is a 10.8 percent increase from the number of students that were given loans in the 2023/2024 academic year.
“Of the total number 18,840 are male, and 10,043 are female, representing a gender gap of 30.2 percent,” the Chairperson said.
Chingaipe appreciated the commitment and funding by government, saying that out of the K 29 billion, government has allocated a total of K 24 Billion to the Loan Fund in the 2024/2025 National Budget to support the needy and deserving students.
“The Board appreciates the continued commitment and funding from the government in the efforts to bridge the gap between the poor and the rich in accessing higher education in Malawi,” he said.
The Board has provisionally approved a list of applicants under Skills for a Vibrant Economy project, of 944 applicants from seven accredited institutions.
Contribution of the Skills for Vibrant Economy (SAVE) project face to face for this year is 575,000.
“We would like to thank the World Bank for providing resources under the skills for vibrant economy project, through the HESLGB loan fund to support students from first year (2023/2024) for the duration of their study program in the areas of education, health industry, information and technology for this year,” Chingaipe said.
He said that the list of names of approved students would be available in universities, as well as at the Board’s online page.
