JB drums up support for Malawi education in New York
President Joyce Banda on Monday called on the development partners to help Malawi reform its education sector.
Banda made the call at a function that took place in New York orgnaised by the UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown.
President Banda assured the UN Envoy that her government is geared to promoting education but needs assistance in Teacher professional development, infrastructural development and technical support.
Brown who is the former Prime Minister for the United Kingdom praised President Banda for her efforts in improving education standards in Malawi saying her determination is paying huge dividends in the education sector.
“We have all been impressed with what you have been able to achieve within a very short period of time and we will make sure we help your government in achieving the desired results in education and the Millennium Development Goals,” said Brown.
During the meeting Victor Lungu, Director of Planning in the Ministry of Education made a presentation on Education Sector in Malawi.
Lungu told the development partners that some of the challenges facing Malawi Education are early marriages and pregnancies; family responsibilities and cultural demands.
“This implies that the elimination of gender disparities remains a challenge at a secondary level. This is also true at tertiary level, hence the need to come up with strategies to ensure that the targeted Intervention have an impact at all levels of education” said Lungu.
On their part, the development partners promised to support the reform programme. Some of the partners who committed to support Malawi are Dubai Cares, Global Partnership for Education and the European Union.
Econet Wireless promised to bring to Malawi cheaper technology that will accelerate educational standards and enhance online studies.
Other development partners that attended the meeting are UNESCO, USAID, UN Women, World Bank, UNICEF, African Development Bank and Business Coalition for Education.
President Banda appealed to the development partners to match their words with action.
“Most of the times we meet here and nothing much is done after these meetings, I therefore urge you all to live to your commitments so that together we can uplift the lives of our people and develop Education in Malawi” appealed President Banda.
Senior Government officials attended the meeting notable among them, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ephraim Mganda Chiume, Secretary for Gender Dr Mary Shawa, Deputy minister of Education Chikumbutso Hiwa, Economic Planning and Development Minister Ralph Jooma and Malawi Representative to the UN, Ambassador Charles Msosa and Malawi Ambassador to the United States Mr Steve Matenje, SC.
