Aida Chilembwe Technical College officially opens: Mutharika says technical skills crucial to national development
President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has reiterated that technical skills development remains crucial to the development of the country.
Mutharika was speaking on Thursday when he opened Aida Chilembwe Community Technical College at Providence Industrial Mission (PIM) in Chiradzulu.
The Malawi leader said there is no country which has developed without people with different skills including technical and vocational.
“There is no country in the world which can develop without people who have skills. The opening of community technical colleges would help Malawi develop and at the same time create jobs for the youth,” he said.
Mutharika added that community technical colleges are important to train the youth in different skills and that by December this year all the districts would have community colleges as promised.
The Malawi leader further said government was aware that the youth in the county have no jobs hence the construction of the community technical colleges.
He, however, advised the youth to enrol into the colleges to acquire different skills assuring that after the training they would be given loans to start up businesses and employ others.
Mutharika, therefore, commended the efforts being done by the youth in the country, citing an example of youths who are operating motor cycle taxis, pointing out that on his way to Thyolo to register in the voter roll, he saw about 50 motor cycles being operated by the youth.
“I was at Goliati this morning and I was amazed to see how a group of young men have bought motor cycles and are engaging in motorbike taxis to improve their own well being,” he said, emphasising that it was a positive development which he would support.
He observed that John Chilembwe and his wife Aida worked tirelessly towards empowering women and the youth to be self — reliant, noting that the technical college was an honour to the two fallen posthumously.
Mutharika disclosed that government has introduced Malawi Enterprise Development Fund which would provide loans to the youth to be able to engage in meaningful economic activities.
Speaking earlier, Minister of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development, Francis Kasaila said the equipment which have been installed at the Aida Chilembwe Community Technical College were of high quality.
Kasaila added that the European Union (EU) is also supporting governments vision to have community technical colleges and that EU has promised to construct five colleges in five districts by December this year.
“The EU has already started constructing a college in Zomba and after 30 days they would move to another district up until they finish with the construction and also provide equipment and machines,” he said.
Kasaila said government has put 2300 youths on internship in different Ministries and Departments within a period of two months, noting that the other group would be attached to private sector.
The minister said for example, the Chinese community, which will build five community technical colleges in Mzimba, Zomba, Nsanje, Ntcheu and Mulanje, is already on the ground and has assured the ministry they will complete the projects by December.
The country has so far constructed 13 colleges and 7000 youths have already graduated from the community colleges.
Fidelis Construction contractor Joseph Madaka, who built the college over six months, said the works cost about K446 million.
Some of the courses to be offered are carpentry and joinery, bricklaying and information and communications technology.
The college is named after Aida Chilembwe, wife of leader of the 1915 Uprising against against white settlers, the Reverend John Chilembwe..
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APM the visionary LEADER of Malawi he is doing great things to the people of Malawi Yes 2019 is for you Sir enawa ntchito yawo ndi LAMYA basi …… palibe chimene akuziwa,,,,
There is nothing to praise APM for here. Can’t you clearly see that the fabrication equipment and many other machines in the center (not even worthy a college) are funded by United Nations?
By Malawian standards this is worthy a community college. By the way, you expected APM to fund the construction of technical colleges using his personal money? What we are praising APM for is the brilliant concept of community technical colleges. APM is assured of rural votes. Nsanje bwanji.
DPP woyeeee
Ife tinakusankhani kale because of your visionary leadership ,tikuwona kuchedwa kuti ena akulubwalubwa mtawuniwa aziwe kuti simuli nonkha keep the fire burning APM
This is on Agenda of EU Bravo EU for develop Africa!!!!
Tima projects tama MPS iti. It only in Malawi that the whole president is busy kutsegula tima projects.
Zoonadi, Ku Malawi tili ndivuto olo ka bridge koti atha kutsegulira councillor upeza mpaka a President azalubwelubwepo. Pa SA pomwepa mall of Africa ikutsegulidwa kunalibe a Zuma or vice wawo kunabwera aku municipality basi koma kukanakhala kwathu kuno mpanga chinsanja msonkhano pomwepo ma minister bwee ndi aku sports omwe uwapeza Ali komweko yet nkhani ikukhuza wa za housing
This is a positive development on the part of the government. I am sure with such type of skills development schemes we do have a possibility of creating jobs – millions possibly?
kambani Munanyoza zija apa
bravo professor, what else do you people of cz need to prove that the professor is development centered. I dont belong to any political party but I can appreciate what is being done to my home district chiradzulu. Look at the pim road which starts from maina and connects to midima road the thing we were not even dreaming of cos for the past one party regime and the other years of democracy nobody dared to do this to us. What a man to be remembered by us fro Cz
This is the way to go.Bravo Mr President for this wonderful initiative.This is called “PERMANENT HELP” to people.Investing in people by equiping them with skills.