Expert warns against neglecting education as Malawi sends only one student at 2017 African Spelling Bee

An education expert Lewis Mbaula who is also the Executive Director of National Spelling Bee in the country as well as Co-Founder of the continental African Spelling Bee Contest has canvassed the need for government, private sector as well as Malawians at large to invest in education inorder to safe guard the futre of Mother Malawi.

Mbaula said this few days after the 2017 African Spelling Bee Contest that was held at Maropeng Heritage of Human Kind in Johannesburg South Africa where Malawi sent only one representative instead of six due to lack of funding.

He said a country that fails to invest in education mortgages its future and warned that as a country, Malawi needs to know the evils of neglecting education.

“Malawi was represented by Standard 7 twelve year old Violet Mlilima only because we could not raise air tickets for all six representatives despite all the pleading. It is a pity that our priorities are upside down. We do sponsor things that would kill and destroy the youth like social weekends and musical shows neglecting
the real game changer which is education” Mbaula exclusively told Nyasatimes.

“My heart honestly bleeds when I see these kids failing to participate in international educational events like the African Spelling Bee and I feel bad when we fail to promote our kids due to luck of resources”
He added that Malawi was supposed to be represented by Lerato Asedi (Mkwichi CDSS),

Vanessa Sherry (Blantyre Baptist Academy) and Dorica Chiumia (Darlo Girls) in the Senior Category while Clara Useni (Wisdom Centre), Kutemwa Nyasulu (Bedir) and Violet Mlilima (Baptist Christian) were supposed to contest in the Junior Category.

However, it was Mlima only who managed to fly on a safe sponsored trip and was accompaned by her parents and School Teacher who was sponsored by School.

Uganda and the host nation South Africa shared the Junior Championship while Nigeria won the Senior Category Championship.

Malawi’s representative Mlilima managed a top five finish after being successful in all the five rounds.

Next African Spelling Bee Competition will be held next year and will be hosted by Ethiopia.

About twelve nations took part at this years competition.

Meanwhile, regional contests in readiness for next year’s continental show piece are already underway.

The Spelling Bee project in Malawi is being carried out in Partnership with the Department of Inspectorate and Advisory Services under the Ministry of Education Science and Technology through South West Education Division.