Chakwera talks tough on ‘first-degree stupidity’ ranks: Hails unsung heroes Dr Ben Chilima, Dr Dr. Miriam  Nyenje

President Lazarus Chakwera has challenged graduates in the country to provide solutions and opportunities to the country’s problems, saying “in fact, every time we meet a college  graduate, we must demand an answer to the question:  what problem are you solving for all Malawians with the  education you received?”

Chakwera said this on Friday during the 22nd Mzuzu University (Mzuni) Congregation held virtually in the northern city of Mzuzu where he was before awarding degrees, diplomas and certificates to 1186 students in various programs.

President  Chakwera was also inaugurated as the fifth Chancellor for the university.

“The only thing worse than uselessness in an uneducated person is uselessness in an educated person, which I call first-degree stupidity,” said Chakwera, adding “ Iam  sure none of you graduating today will join those ranks,  for there are other Malawians who are leading the way in  charting a different and more useful path.”

Chakwera commended scientists who he said work tirelessly in the country to combat spread of Covid-19 pandemic, saying  this week he met two PhD holders from the Public Health  Institute of Malawi.

“One was Dr. Ben Chilima, the first Malawian man to hold  a PhD in Microbiology, and the other was Dr. Miriam  Nyenje, the first Malawian woman to hold a PhD in  Microbiology.

“The most remarkable thing about these  two academics is not that they are academics, nor is it  that they have made history by being the first of our  compatriots to specialize in that field. The most  remarkable thing about these two academics is that they  are presently and actively using their education to solve  a problem that our country has never faced before and  to prepare our country for the problems we will face tomorrow,” he said.

Chakwera said everyday, Chilima and Nyenje go into the lab  to coordinate and supervise the work of testing people  for Covid-19 across the country.

“By the end of next  month, they will have set up their lab in the capital city  with the capacity to sequence the virus that causes  Covid-19, a remarkable achievement. Under their  supervision, our Covid-19 testing sites around the  country have conducted over 193,000 tests for Covid-19  in less than one year.

“Now, can you imagine how paralysed we would be at  stopping the spread of the pandemic if these scientists  were not daily tracking the positivity rate of tests? Can  you imagine how directionless our treatment strategy  would be if these scientists were not able to distinguish  patients of Covid-19 from patients of other infections?  Can you imagine how anxious the 18,045 people who  have recovered from Covid-19 would continue to be if  these scientists were not able to test them after recovery  to assure them that they were negative?”

He stressed that the  work that  these two educated scientists and other lab technicians  under their supervision are doing is “indispensable” to the country’sfight against virus pandemic and integral to Malawi’s  winning  strategy.

“They are proof positive that the best education  is that which solves the problems society faces today  and prepares society for the problems sure to be faced  tomorrow,” he said.

President Chakwera ,who tawarded K200 000 to a graduate in Bachelor of Science Education, Muhakaye Madalitso for passing with first class, advised the gradutes that they have not been educated  to go into the world to beg it for opportunities and  solutions,  “but to go into the world to give it  opportunities and solutions. That is what it means to be  an agent of progressive change.”

He advised: “ Today, you join the  ranks of other graduates around the country leading that  change, and I congratulate you and wish you Godspeed. “

Out of the 1186 graduates, 478 are female.

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