Malawi to invest in human capital, says President Banda
President Joyce Banda has said her government remains committed to make investment in human capital as a priority because she believes it is the surest catalyst for achieving poverty eradication.
She was speaking on Sunday when she attended the 5th graduation ceremony for the Malawi Adventist University at the Lake View campus located at Njolomole in Ntcheu.
“My coming to attend this ceremony today is meant to demonstrate my personal belief and that of my government that we cannot achieve poverty eradication unless we invest in human capital,” she said.
Added President Banda: “To you all graduating students, I say: congratulations! Well done! The many hours of hard work have culminated in attaining these qualifications.”
She advised them that graduation was just a beginning “as your family members, parents, guardians and indeed your country are looking forward to the same dedication and hard work that you demonstrated over the years leading to this auspicious occasion.”
“The awards that you are getting today will remain a piece of paper unless it results in a positive impact on those that surround you; be it in your family or at the workplace,” she said, urging them to continue upgrading their knowledge.
President Banda said her government recognizes the urgent need to increase access to higher education in this country. As such, she disclosed, reforms are underway in the education sector to achieve this objective.
She also said her administration was aware of the challenges facing the education sector which include poorly equipped and supervised public universities, colleges and schools; wide geographical disparities in access and outcomes;and most of our universities have limited capacity for teaching and accommodation space.
Other constraints, she cited, are the limited relevance and participation of the poor in post basic education, irregular and untimely transfer of approved funds to the education sector and very severe management gaps.
“This government, therefore, is keen in developing strategic partnerships between government and private universities to explore opportunities for expanding intake into tertiary education,” she said.
Government, she added, is also considering to strategically link a secondary school to a cluster of primary schools as a way of expanding intake from primary into secondary education.
The Malawi leader disclosed that the National Council for Higher Education, a body that will be responsible for accrediting institutions of higher learning, has been operationalized.
“I am pleased to note that the Council has already gone far in developing the standards and accreditation framework that will ensure that we are providing high quality tertiary education to our young men and women for the benefit of our nation,” she disclosed.
Chancellor of the University, Frackson Kuyama, thanked President Banda for attending the graduation ceremony, saying it signified the importance she attaches to education as a catalyst for the country’s development.
He assured the Malawi leader that the Seventh Day Church will continue to partner government in the effort of making the lives of the people better.
Kuyama asked her to help facilitate the approval of the University’s application for accreditation.
Malawi Adventist University is a Seventh-day Adventist Institution of higher learning where highest priority is given to maintain campus environment favourable for the religious, Intellectual, social and physical development of students.
It also provides association for students with socially and religious compatible young people who accept or are willing to abide by the moral and ethical standards of the Christian faith as understood by the Seventh day Adventist Church.
Headquartered in Ntcheu District, the University offers four year degree programmes of the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton.
It has two campuses—Lake View Campus (Njolomole – Ntcheu) offers degrees in Education, Business Administration and Theology, while the Malamulo College of Health Science (Makwasa – Thyolo) offers certificate and Diploma programmes in Nursing and Midwifery, Lab Technology and Clinical Medicine.
