BY Sarah Munthali

Lilongwe, May 27, Mana: The Ministry of Labour says a well-managed extended orientation programme would help enhance quality at technical colleges and reduce drop-out rates among students from marginalized backgrounds.

Principal Quality Assurance Officer at the ministry, Annette Chiweza, said this at Mponela in Dowa on Tuesday when she closed a five-day training on extended orientation programme, which was aimed at equipping principals and instructors with skills on supporting students from marginalized backgrounds.

The training was organized by Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi (FAWEMA) under the Second Chance Pathways for Increased Access to Tertiary Education for Marginalized Young Women and Men project, which is being implemented in partnership with Mastercard Foundation.

Chiweza said extended orientation programme is critical as it is not limited to the student’s entry point but continuously look at the needs of students including counselling, mentorship, building entrepreneurship skills and transitioning to industry.

“For most marginalized students, the college is a new environment compared to where they come from and, therefore, extended orientation provides opportunity to level the ground for all students,” Chiweza said.

Chiweza said it was now the duty of the Colleges to develop student support strategies that would help improve student outcomes.

FAWEMA Executive Director, Wesley Chabwera, said his organization was committed to supporting government to increase access to tertiary education in line with the country’s development agenda.

“Students from marginalized backgrounds are the most disadvantaged and we believe entrenching extended orientation in the system would help address academic and social challenges that these students face,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the participants, Principal for Nasawa Technical College Yusuf Josaya said the training would benefit colleges in graduating quality students including those from marginalized backgrounds.

“We now appreciate that orientation is an ongoing activity and includes student counselling and solving student problems and not just introducing students to school systems,” Josaya said.

The training brought together principals and instructors from Livingstonia, Mzuzu, Namitete, Lilongwe, Salima, Soche and Nasawa technical colleges. The Malawi Council of Disability Affairs (MACODA) technical college was also represented.

Second Chance Pathways for Increased Access to Tertiary Education for Marginalized Women and Men intervention is a seven-year (2024-2030) project which will directly impact 1,350 young women and men from marginalized backgrounds to access tertiary education through TVET and university programmes.