Chilima urges Ministry of Education to address its problems as matter of urgency

State Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima has advised the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to address issues of quality of education alongside challenges bordering on infrastructure development.

Chilima, who is also Minister of Economic Planning and Development and Public Sector Reforms, on Thursday  hosted the Minister of Education, Agnes Nyalonje, and other senior officials from the ministry as part of his ongoing meeting the Cabinet Ministers on the progress of Public Sector Reforms in government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

The Ministry of Education has been implementing seven reform areas, which include decentralization of some of its functions to the six education divisions, improving quality of education, new criteria for promoting teachers, establishment of a Malawi Qualification Authority and the review of allowances for teachers based in rural areas.

Chilima told Nyasa Times that he was pleased to note that the ministry has made remarkable progress in some of the reforms relating to infrastructure and institutional changes.

“As the ministry works towards improving infrastructure, initiatives should include new desks, fully equipped laboratories and most importantly that the teaching of Information Communication Technology (ICT) must be mandatory to fully prepare our children for the digital global world. On reviewing the criteria for teacher promotion, I suggested to the ministry that whatever methodology that will be used, but the teachers must be promoted and ensure that there is career growth and recognition for best performing teachers,” he said.

During the meeting, Chilima also spoke strongly on the need to depoliticize the ministry starting with a personnel audit to flush out ghost teachers as well as political party functionaries who are allegedly on payroll as teachers. He directed that this must be done within 30 days.

“Earning taxpayers’ money for doing nothing is theft. Before we meet again in 90 days, we have agreed on a concise roadmap outlining measures to track reforms that are underway as well as take a new direction for the fresh reform areas that the Ministry will embark on,” said the Veep.

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