Japan tips Malawi to invest more in science and technology

Better education particularly in mathematics and science is an indispensable tool to advancing science and technology that in turn enhance achievement of national socio-economic development, Japanese Ambassador to Malawi Fujio Samukawa said Thursday.

Samukawa made the remarks at Kasungu Secondary School where he presided over official handover of rehabilitated infrastructure at the school to Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

The Japanese Government, through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects, in January this year, extended a grant amounting to US$104,029 (about K18.9 million) to Kasungu District Education Office to facilitate renovation of two hostels, hall and kitchen at the school.

The initiative has also enabled the school maintain broken beds in its hostels and acquire new additional 252 mattresses.

Samukawa: Tips Malawi on science and technology

Samukawa said Malawi being a developing country needed to direct more resources towards promotion of science and technology if the country was to fully develop.

He said the country should learn from Japan which he said has achieved rapid economic development in recent years, thanks to investing in science and technology.

“Learn from Japan which has scaled up its education base by strengthening mathematics and science in order to promote science and technology. As a result of this, Japan has produced a lot of skilled and more competent human resource which assisted in achieving rapid economic development after World War II,” he said.

He, however, commended government for making the education sector the biggest beneficially of the 2012/2013 national budget adding there was no denying that education is key component and the future’s investment for national economic vitality and improved quality of life.

Samukawa then pledged his government’s continued financial support to the country’s education sector in line with the Fourth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD IV) in which Japan committed to support developing nations in various areas including education.

Speaking after she officially received the rehabilitated infrastructure on behalf of Malawi Government Education Minister Eunice Kazembe applauded the Japanese Government for the support it renders to the country in general and her ministry in particular.

Kazembe said while government was committed to providing conducive teaching and learning environment in all schools in the country huge resources required for rehabilitation of infrastructure was still a major challenge facing her ministry.

She therefore said the gesture by the Japanese Government would go a long way in improving delivery of good quality education and improved passing rates at the school.

“The investment of such huge amount of money by our friends is clear indication of commitment by the Japanese Government’s efforts in the development of the education sector. With the rehabilitated hostels, hall and kitchen at this school, the learning environment will greatly improve,” she said.

Meanwhile parliamentarian Ken Kandodo in whose Kasungu Central Constituency the school is located has since donated 250 plastic chairs worthy over K500,000 to be used in the school’s just rehabilitated multipurpose hall.

Kasungu Secondary School opened its doors in 1963, a year before the country attained independence, and is one of the country’s oldest secondary schools after Blantyre, Dedza and Mzuzu.

 

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