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MACRA to construct over 100 ICT laboratories in schools
By Chisomo Kambandanga
Nkhata Bay, May 21, Mana: Head of Universal Service Fund at Malawi Communications and Regulatory Authority (MACRA), Ronald Tembo, on Monday said that the authority is set to construct over 100 Information Communication Technology laboratories in schools across the country.
The initiative, which will be implemented through Connect-A-School (CAS) Project, aims at increasing access to ICT services in rural communities.
Tembo was speaking during a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of an ICT laboratory at Chifira Community Day Secondary School in Nkhata Bay.
He said that as a modem key economic driver, ICT services need to be accessible by every citizen, not only those living in urban areas, and that the authority will strive for digital inclusion for realization of Malawi2063.
"This project will address social divide where people living in urban areas have easy access to ICT services than those living in rural areas, gender divide where more men have easy access as compared to women and age digital divide through ICT literacy that will be provided in rural communities," Tembo said.
He said MACRA will in first phase construct 75 laboratories and that it is expected that over 100 laboratories will have been constructed across the country by the end of 2024.
“These laboratories will each be furnished with 60 computers and a 100 radius free internet coverage for three years," he added.
Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng'oma, who is also Member of Parliament for Nkhata Bay South, applauded MACRA for the project, expressing optimism that once completed, the laboratory will contribute to improved education, among others.
He then advised students and the school’s surrounding communities to utilize the facility for businesses and to enhance skills in diverse disciplines.
"I encourage even fishermen to use this facility and get new fishing skills through internet while it gives a chance to students to access information for their education," Zikhale Ng'oma said.
Head teacher for Chifira CDSS, Brighton Manda, said the project will enhance service delivery as teachers will access new information for their professional development with ease through internet.
ICT, backbone of all development avenues - MACRA
By Blackson Mkupatira
Chiradzulu, May 21, Mana: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has underscored the importance of equipping young people in the country with computer literacy skills, noting that information communication technology (ICT) plays a major role in promoting quality education and fostering economic growth.
MACRA representative Cossam Chingancheke made the remarks on Monday at Mbulumbuzi Community Day Secondary School in Chiradzulu during the groundbreaking ceremony for a new ICT laboratory, which is part of the 73 laboratories set to be constructed nationwide under the "Connect a School" project.
"Nowadays, you cannot talk about a good economy or education system without talking about computers; ICT is the backbone of all the development avenues in the world. So, being an area of little development in the country, government through MACRA thought it wise to embark on this project," he said.
He added that the initiative is targeting young people in secondary schools to equip them with necessary computer skills and introduce them to the internet so that they can excel at tertiary level where such skills are fundamental.
"At a young age is where the future of a person begins, so we decided to construct these ICT labs in secondary schools to give them a good foundation," said Chingancheke.
Member of Parliament for Chiradzulu North, Patrick Mpinganjira Matola, described the initiative as a milestone in the education sector.
Matola thanked government for showing commitment to fulfilling the Malawi Vision 2063, which, among others, advocates for the advancement of ICT and youth empowerment.
"This is a new school that was constructed three years ago, so we are lucky that the initiative has benefited us. It will encourage students to do well and motivate them to complete their education," he said.
Head teacher for Mbulumbuzi CDSS, Fagesi Alfred Nasiyaya, observed that as a new school, learners fail to access quality education because there are inadequate books where they can source information on various subjects.
"With the construction of this computer lab, however, learners will be able to find all the information they want online," she said, adding that they will also be equipped with basic knowledge of computers which is invaluable in this age.
About 73 CDSSs, one primary school and one national government school have been targeted under the project, which is expected to be completed in August this year.
The project is being funded by the Universal Service Fund, a communication regulatory component under MACRA.
NICE trains male champions to support female aspirants
By Salome Gangire
Neno, May 21, Mana: National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust has urged male champions to use their influence in society to drum up support for women aspiring to contest in various positions in the 2025 general elections so that they get elected into power.
NICE Civic Education Officer for Neno, Wallace Kudzala, said this on Monday during the training of male champions for the Inclusive Participation of Women in Malawi Politics (Nthawi Yawo) Project.
NICE and the Centre for Civil Society Strengthening, with funding from the United Nations Development Programme, are implementing Nthawi Yawo Project in Karonga, Salima and Neno districts aimed at increasing women participation in politics.
“There is underrepresentation of women in positions of leadership and decision making in many key institutions like political parties, parliament and even local councils; so, we want male champions to advocate for women empowerment,” Kudzala said.
He said among other reasons of women underrepresentation in politics is the patriarchal assumption that women are incapable of taking leadership or political roles, thereby creating inequalities.
Kudzala added that male champions are crucial in advocating for women empowerment in their communities as they are people of influence and good reputation who can easily influence their fellow men to vote for women, thereby changing the narrative.
Gender Officer for Neno District Council, Clement Katsosa, said involving men in women empowerment will greatly have an impact as it will be men promoting women.
“Previously, issues to do with women empowerment were being championed by fellow women which was difficult for men to agree. So, involving men to champion a women cause will have great results,” he said.
One of the male champions from Chikonde Ward, Anderson Kasoloka, said he is geared to promote more women to participate in politics in the 2025 general elections and influence fellow men to give the women support.
Kasoloka said he will meet all governance structures in his community to promote women participation and involvement in politics and advocate for their election.
NICE has trained 12 male champions in Neno District, two in each ward. There are no female parliamentarians nor councilors in Neno.
Malawi to learn from Iceland model to prosperity
By Patricia Kapulula
Lilongwe, May 20, Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has described the visit by the Prime Minister for Iceland as a blessing for Malawi saying it acts as model from where Malawi can draw lessons to its aspirations.
President Chakwera was speaking Monday evening at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe during a State Banquet he hosted for the visiting Prime Minister of Iceland.
He said Iceland has achieved an inclusive wealth and self-reliance status, which Malawi aspires in the Malawi 2063, as such Malawi can study what Iceland has done to recover its economy from debt distress to productivity through tourism.
“Malawi has an opportunity of learning from the success of a truly role model nation and that makes for a very special relationship,” he said.
He, therefore, hailed Iceland’s commitment to assisting Malawi in areas such as health and education as a symbol of strengthened relationship existing between the two countries which creates a number of areas of cooperation for the benefit of the people of the two countries.
Prime Minister of Iceland, Bjarni Benediksson, said his country cherishes the existing relationship between the two countries saying over 100 citizens, with a population of 400,000, call Malawi their home.
He, therefore, pledged his country’s continued support to Malawi in its development agenda.
Currently, Iceland is support Mangochi District in the health and education sectors and intends to replicate the same to Nkhotakota.
Benediktsson, arrived in the country on Sunday through Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) for a five-day working visit.
He is expected to visit Koche Demonstration School in Mangochi on Wednesday among other engagements before departure for Iceland on Thursday.
Malawi and Iceland relations date back to 1989 through the Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA).
Phalombe chiefs want CMC dissolved
By Linda Likomwa
Phalombe, May 20, Mana: Chiefs in Phalombe have asked district council authorities through the social welfare office to consider dissolving Catchment Management Committees (CMCs) because they have overstayed their term of office.
Speaking on Monday during an extra-ordinary full council meeting, T/A Kaledzera and Mkhumba reminded the council to consider dissolving the committee as many members are abusing cash transfer beneficiaries by asking for kick-backs, among other things.
The chiefs claimed that there has not been any change of committee members since 2018 when the district enrolled beneficiaries into the programme.
"We have been receiving complaints from beneficiaries that most of these committee members collect money from them during pay day and looking at the nature of cash transfer households, as a district, we are not doing justice to the poor," said Kaledzera.
He added that now that the district has started re-targeting beneficiaries for the programme, there was need to start notifying communities that new committees will be formulated.
District Social Welfare Officer responsible for Cash Transfers, Freckson Chidzalo concurred with the chiefs, noting that his office has been receiving complaints from beneficiaries on the misconduct of some committee members.
He however said that all the issues were resolved which led to some committee members being removed, while others were arrested after investigations and the money and relief items were given back to legitimate beneficiaries.
"We cannot deny that such things happen and some of the complaints were made straight to headquarters through the toll-free line and the headquarters were notifying us to investigate on the issues which we did and a good example was that from T/A Nazombe which led to the arrest of the committee members," he said.
Chidzalo said in March this year, when the district was disbursing the last cash transfers, all committee members were told that their term of office has expired and after re-targeting new committees will be established.
An official from the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Dumisani Maona said Phalombe District Council started the re-targeting of beneficiaries in April, but that the process was stopped to allow a systematic way of selection where beneficiaries should not be selected by chance.
Maona said the new beneficiaries will be those from child headed families, the chronically ill, people with disabilities and the elderly who are 65 years and above, noting that all these should be labour constrained and poor, unlike the old system whose criteria was on the basis of a household being ultra-poor.
The council will now enroll 11,099 beneficiaries into the programme from 7,964.
Mpemba Market structure to increase revenue base
By Memory Kutengule Chatonda
Blantyre, May 20, Mana: Blantyre District Council Trade Officer, Pilirani Nyangulu Mbwana has said the council is expected to enhance its revenue collection base following the construction of the K43 million Mpemba Market shed in Blantyre.
The shed has been constructed using the council’s Locally Generated Revenue (LGR) and is expected to accommodate at least 60 business people from Mpemba Trading Centre and surrounding areas once it becomes operational.
Speaking in an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Monday, Mbwana said currently the council has six established market structures in Lunzu, Lirangwe, Chileka, Nkhalamba, Chilobwe and Mdeka where people conduct their businesses in a safe and conducive environment.
She, however, said the council saw it necessary to construct another market shed in Mpemba as the absence of it forced business people to sell their products along the road, which is a risk to their lives.
Mbwana observed that the situation made it difficult for the Trade Office to collect market fees.
“Currently, the Trade Office collects K1.6 million weekly as market fees from all the market places, including from the business people who conduct their businesses along the Mpemba road.
"We are optimistic that the amount is likely to go up once the Mpemba Market structure becomes operational because it will make it easy for us to collect the fees from every individual operating within the premises,” she said.
One of the business people at Mpemba Trading Centre, Chifuniro Chimombo, hailed Blantyre District Council for constructing the market shed, describing it as a huge relief to the business people as they will be able to conduct their business in a safe and permanent structure.
"Right now, we have been hesitant to pay K200 daily to the council from our earnings considering that the place we are conducting our business is along the road and our business is mostly affected during the rainy season.
“We believe once we occupy the newly constructed market, we won’t find any excuse to pay the market fees because the place is convenient and safe for us and the buyers,” said Chimombo, who sells vegetables along Mpemba Trading Centre.
Recently Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda inspected the newly constructed market shed where he expressed satisfaction with its outlook.
Apart from the market shed, the place will also have other facilities such as kiosk, toilets and butchery that will be constructed with additional funds from LGR.
MACRA takes digital services and technologies to schools
By George Bulombola
Karonga, May 20, Mana: Minister of Youth and Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire, Monday said access to digital services and technologies is a fundamental right for all and not just a privilege for those who can afford it.
Mkandawire who is also Member of Parliament for Karonga South made the remarks at Khwawa Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Karonga when he presided over construction of an information and communication technology computer laboratory under Connect a School (CAS) Project
Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) in collaboration with Ministry of Information and Digitalisation and Ministry of Education will implement the CAS Project with funding from Universal Service Fund.
The project will see such laboratories being established in 75 schools, including 73 CDSS, one national government secondary school, and one pilot primary school.
across the country.
He said the 2023 National Survey on Access and Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) report indicated that adoption of ICT services and technologies is higher in urban than rural areas.
Mkandawire added that the report also revealed that over 6 million learners in both public primary and secondary schools have no access to ICT services, hence the project.
“This event is a testimony that MACRA is aware of this challenge and promotes inclusivity to ensure that no one is left behind when it comes to accessing digital services and technologies,” said Mkandawire.
He added that the initiative which is the first of its kind in Malawi, will bring to life National ICT Policy, align with the youth-centric Malawi 2063 which priory’s digitalization, among others.
“This is a reflection of President Chakwera’s unwavering commitment to transforming Malawi into a digitally empowered nation as he has consistently emphasized the importance of youth empowerment, education, and technological advancement as pillars for national development,” he said.
The minister also noted that the project aims at providing students with the essential tools and skills for them to thrive in the 21st century.
Head teacher for the school, Victor Mkandawire commended MACRA for the initiative which he said will be a motivating factor to students to have interest in ICT studies.
“This world is becoming ICT driven, hence the need to put such structures in place so that there is inclusive access to such services by young people including students across the country,” said Mkandawire.
MACRA project to increase access to ICT services by rural communities
By George Mponda
Karonga, May 20, Mana: Malawi Communications and Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has said its Connect a School (CAS) project will help increase access to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services by rural communities.
MACRA's Human Resources Manager Glad Ngwira said this on Monday at Mlare Secondary School in Karonga during a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of an ICT laboratory.
Ngwira said: "The National Statistical Office released figures which revealed a huge disparity in access to ICT services between rural and urban communities. As a regulator, we decided to bridge the gap by constructing computer labs which will enable learners get acquainted to ICT services from a young age.
"This is the first phase of the project whereby we are going to construct computer labs in 75 secondary schools of which 73 are community day secondary schools (CDSS), one national secondary school and one primary school with funding from MACRA's Universal Social Services Fund."
In his remarks, guest of honor at the function, Member of Parliament for Karonga Central Constituency, Leonard Mwalwanda, said ICT is a lifeline for every development project worldwide.
"If we want to compete with other nations, our citizens have to be conversant with ICT hence this initiative by MACRA is step in the right direction towards ensuring our learners are equipped with this valuable knowledge,” he said.
On his part, head teacher for Mlare Secondary School, Edward Luhanga, hailed MACRA for selecting their school to be one of the beneficiaries of the project.
"The world has transformed into a digital place now and being located in a rural setup, our learners needed this laboratory yesterday. ICT in education advances information sharing not only for teachers who support learning but especially for students who will be able to acquire knowledge and skills which could be used to develop our country,” Luhanga said.
President for Mlare Secondary School Students Union, Sayamika Phiri, said the construction of a computer laboratory at their school will help learners get used to devices which are instrumental in today’s world.
"As students, we are fascinated with technology and the laboratory will encourage and motivate us to learn and gain knowledge which we can use to uplift our communities,” he said.
Africa urged to use its population to its advantage
By Sellah Singini
Lilongwe, May 20, Mana: President Lazarus Chakwera has said African countries need platforms for collaboration, where the continent’s population advantage is married to the human capital disadvantages of other continents to create a better world across the globe.
Chakwera said this on Monday at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe during the official opening of the 9th African Population Conference.
He said Africa must put its population to work and animate it to the fact that it is in a long season of sacrificial nation-building and a lean season of disciplined sowing, not a short-sighted and election obsessed season of harvesting, plundering and eating like there is no tomorrow.
“I doubt that there is anyone in this room who does not know that other continents in the world are struggling to sustain their labour markets demands because they do not have enough young people to work in various industries that are critical to their economies, including agriculture and food security.
“If only we can remove our afro-pessimistic lenses and see that the youthful and enterprising population of Africa is a resource we must harness and equip to solve the sustainability problems that the ageing populations of other nations are grappling with.
For this reason, here in Africa we must celebrate and leverage our demographic dividend by nurturing, empowering and deploying our people,” Chakwera said.
He further said the perspective by other continents that African poverty is exacerbated by its overpopulation is wrong, saying this narrative is afro-pessimism as Africa has enough resources to sustain its people.
Chakwera therefore urged the participants at the conference to take the conference as a solution-oriented event, not a competition on who can complain about Africa the loudest.
“This is a new Malawi for a new Africa, and we are too busy focusing on finding solutions to waste any time on meetings that add no value to the creation of Africa we want,” he added.
In his remarks, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Simplex Chithyola Banda said the conference is set for African countries to share knowledge, experiences and best practices in population management, in pursuit of Africa’s sustainable development ambitions.
Chithyola Banda said for so long Africa has been taken as a stunted and stagnant continent with little hope of lifting her people out of poverty and that Africa has received little attention to her quest for development and technical assistance.
“But the world now knows that Africa is on the move and that it has the largest size of arable land for agriculture production to feed the world; Africa has the largest deposit of mineral wealth and that it is enjoying a demographic dividend for economic productivity,” Chithyola Banda said.
“As Africans, we are collaborating more and strengthening partnerships in areas which will accelerate African economic growth, such as health and education, focusing on population development, especially on the youth.
“It is therefore worth noting that this conference today is such a powerful testimony on Africa’s resolve,” he added.
The five-day conference, which has attracted over 600 delegates, is held under the theme “Road to 2030: leveraging Africa’s human capital to achieve transformation in a world of uncertainty”.
MANEB tightens security for PSLCE
By Sheminah Nkhoma
Lilongwe, May 20, Mana: Spokesperson for Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) Angella Kashitigu has said the preparations for this year’s Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examination have been finalised as students are expected to start the exams on Wednesday.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana), Kashitigu said, 262,216 learners are expected to sit for PSLCE exams in the country.
“The Board has accredited all names of learners who are expected to sit for the national examinations as teachers and parents verified all the details about their pupils”, Said Kashitugu.
She further said MANEB together with Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and Malawi Police Service (MPS) have tightened security in readiness for the exams.
“We have experienced a number of cheating in the past years so this time the security is highly tightened in all centre’s because we want to ensure credible examination, “she said.
In his remarks, a Standard 8 leaner at Kawale L.E.A, Hassan Hussein said he is ready for the exams and hopes to pass with good grades.
“As learners we have prepared ourselves to write the exams as we know that they only come once a year, all we want is to do well”, he said.
Meanwhile, MANEB has temporary suspended all its services from May 20 to July 19, to pave way for students writing PSLCE, Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) and Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations.
