Zodiak’s Gospel slams foreign invasion, education standards: Asks JB to act
Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) Managing Director Gospel Kadzako has asked President Joyce Banda to immediately halt the rate at which foreigners are acquiring Malawi’s land saying “one day we will discover that we are tenants in our own country.”
Kadzako said this at the 2013/14 MSCE Best Girl Awards held in Mzuzu at the Marymount Girls Catholic Secondary School, where President Banda was guest of honour.
The ZBS boss also touched on an immigration issue, saying the government should also stop the invasion of foreigners from taking simple and menial jobs such as hotel clerks, cooks or receptionists.
“Without sounding xenophobic I would like to put to you your Excellency that foreigners are slowly taking over this country. At ZBS we are getting worried that the girls we are empowering over the years will return and find out that there is nothing for them here,” he said.
He did not give statistics but repeatedly pleaded with the President to take prompt action saying “if this cannot happen when you are President then who can do it? We believe you offer cutting edge solutions. You kick started our economy to become one of the fastest growing in SADC.”
ZBS commenced the MSCE Best Girl Awards initiative in 2006 just a year after it started operations in Malawi.
For the 2013/14 academic year, ZBS has awarded eight girls with scholarship to study in the Peoples Republic of China.
Three girls from Marymount Girls Catholic Secondary School scored 6 points each while the rest from Dowa, Blantyre, St Mary’s Secondary Schools tapped 7 points each.
Those with 6 points received MK50,000 from Maneno Bookshop, Mk50,000 from Auction Holdings Limited,Mk25,000 shopping voucher from PEP Stores, an Ipad from Maalawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra), a trophy and gold medal from ZBS, a suitcase and a Duvet.
While those with 7 points gotMK30,000 from Maneno, MK25,000 shopping voucher from PEP stores, an Ipad from Macra, a certificate and bronze medal from ZBS.
Kadzako also slammed the country’s education system describing it as pathetic and supposedly meant for the poor.
“Gone are the days when Ministers’ children used to learn in public schools. Now many of them are warehoused at private schools. If we happen to discover them at public school, then we will definitely do a story,” Kadzako said.
But in her address, Banda eschewed the issue of foreigners slicing our land and grabbing our jobs. She concentrated on the education sector, girls’ empowerment and her personal achievement in the sector.
She admitted that Malawi’s education system has been on the free fall for the past 20 years.
“When we rushed for free education we did not its consequences for the girl child. Our Primary School education is beset with myriad challenges from poor structures, de-motivated Teachers and a curriculum that wobbles,” Banda said.
She said all these challenges are repeated at all levels of Malawi’s education.
“At Secondary and Tertiary level we have additional problems of limited access and student indiscipline. But My government will restructure the education sector for efficiency to meet today’s era of globalisation,” Banda said.
Marymount Secondary School Head Teacher John Richard Banda said the programme has proved to be a great incentive to girls in Malawi because of the free scholarship.
“It is common knowledge in Malawi that the girl child has long been marginalised in Malawi’s education system. They have always been underrated yet they have proved that they can perform extremely well,” Banda said.
Mzuzu Catholic Diocese head Bishop Joseph Mkasa Zuza said education is the best gift that can be given to a person.
Bishop Zuza noted that Malawi has many talented girls who have filed to proceed with their education because of poverty.
“While we appreciate the initiative from ZBS and the Chinese, we appeal to other local companies and individual to consider offering local scholarship to them,” he said.
The Cleric then appealed to the awardees to be good ambassadors by exemplifying hard work, honesty, discipline, loyalty and passion in what they do.
They received K50 000 and K30 000 respectively from Maneno bookshop, iPods from Macra, suitcases, from the Chinese government, duvets among others from Uncle Jose and Chimeto shops.
