Teachers of English urged to show full commitment

Teachers of English in the Northern Education Division (NED) have been urged to show greater commitment to their work to help learners master the language for both examinations and life after school.

Speaking during the opening of a two-day Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training at Katoto Secondary School in Mzuzu on Thursday, Chief Education Quality Assurance Officer for NED, Sam Hobbie Tembo, stressed that English remains central to Malawi’s education system.

“English is integral to education in Malawi because it is the medium of instruction for all subjects except Chichewa and French. Therefore, mastery of the language benefits not only English as a subject but all other subjects taught in English,” said Tembo.

Chairperson for the Association for the Teaching of English in Malawi (ATEM) in the Northern Education Division, John Njawala, said the annual CPD sessions are improving teaching standards but urged teachers to work even harder.

“While English remains a national challenge, NED recorded an improvement in the 2025 Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) exams. Sixty percent of the distinctions came from the North. Marymount Secondary School alone produced 142 distinctions in English, and a representative from that school is here to share the secret behind that success,” Njawala said.

One of the participants, Suzgo Mwandira from Zolozolo Community Day Secondary School, said the training is helping teachers stay updated and deliver more effective lessons.

“This training is equipping us with relevant knowledge. Things are constantly changing, and as teachers, we need to be sure of what we are doing in the classroom,” she said.

The training, supported by Pinnacle Financial Services with K1.5 million, is also being conducted simultaneously at Maghemo Secondary School in Karonga and Mzimba Secondary School.