Malawi launches National Civic Education Policy

Malawi has launched its first ever National Civic Education policy to guide the process of imparting and empowering citizens with knowledge and understanding on social, economic and political matters through civic engagement.

According to Minister of Civic Education and National Unity, Timothy Mtambo, the policy has been developed through  highly consultations that engaged both public and private spheres after years of slow and tedious development process.

“With such period, it means that the importance of civic education was not either appreciated or was deliberately down played to keep the citizens passive and ignorant of what to demand from government, ” he said.

Previous regimes did not have much interest in civic education because they wanted people to live in fear thereby should not hold the state and public office bearers accountable for their actions, he said.

He further said the Tonse government realizes that it is through civic knowledge that the county’s citizens could be empowered to exercise their rights with a sense of responsibility and patriotism hence the policy.

National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust Executive Director, Ollen Mwabulunju said as an implementing partner his trust will fully deliver on the objectives outlined in the policy.

“Together with other partners, we will make sure that citizens in the country are fully equipped  with civic knowledge and understanding of social-economic and political issues of our nation,” he said.
However, government started the process of coming up with the policy in 2007 but it has been delayed due to lack of coordination, multiplicity of unqualified providers, ineffective civil education content and delivery methods among others.

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