Malawi MPs Call on Government to Raise Education Standards
The MPs made the call on Monday during a debate on the 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 financial year education reports.
LILONGWE, Malawi-Members of Parliament in Malawi have called on the government to raise education standards in the country, writes Francis Polinyu Banda.
The MPs made the call on Monday during a debate on the 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 financial year education reports.
The report highlighted a number of challenges facing the education sector, including a lack of proper infrastructure, a lack of motivation for teachers, and high pupil-to-teacher ratios.
MP Victoria Kingstone from Mangochi Central said that there are a number of teachers in the country who have been teaching for many years without being promoted. She said that this is demotivating for teachers and that it is having a negative impact on the quality of education.
MP Kondwani Nankhumwa from Blantyre City South commended the government for its cost-effective school block construction programme.
He said that this programme has helped to improve the infrastructure at some schools in Blantyre.
However, he also said that the government needs to do more to address the shortage of classrooms in other schools.
MP Fainess Magonjwa from Machinga South East said that the government should introduce a special skills and entrepreneurship subject in schools.
She said that this would help equip learners with the skills they need to be financially independent after they graduate.
The MPs also called on the government to establish more schools and reduce the distances that teachers have to travel to work.
The debate on the education report highlighted the need for the government to take urgent action to improve the education sector in Malawi.
The MPs' recommendations provide a roadmap for the government to follow in order to raise education standards in the country.