Lilongwe — Wednesday, 18 th February, 2021
We, at the Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC), welcome the decision by the Malawi government to proceed with the delinking of the University of Malawi (UNIMA) into three universities; namely the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS); the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHES); and the University of Malawi (UNIMA). We believe that the decision is not only timely and progressive to the needs of higher education and the younger people, but it is also resoundingly resonating well with the majority view of Malawians. …
Story by Temwa Mhone
Most of his age mates who reside in the townships are in junior secondary school while those in rural areas are in Standard Six or Seven.
But 14-year-old Jolatani Petulo is in Standard Two at Kanongola Primary School in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwanza in Salima.
This is because he enrolled for Standard One just last year.
Jolatani was born in 2005 with spina bifida, a birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord do not form properly.
This disability confined him to his mother’s house.
“Even for Jolatani to go to the toilet, I…
1.0. Introduction
The Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) would like to express its opinion on the UNIMA Council’s decision to suspend the delinking process of the constituent colleges of the University of Malawi as per the memo dated 20th January 2021. The said memo alleges that the decision to delink the University has taken during its 102nd extraordinary meeting held on 10th July 2017 was ultra vires and not in line with the power and functions that these two structures (Senate and Council) were mandated to undertake under sections 10 and 18 of the UNIMA Act (Cap 30:02). In light…
CSEC AND SAVE THE CHILDREN JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT ON SCHOOL CLOSURE
Civil Society Education Coalition and Save the Children warn of looming education crisis for a generation as we enter a second year of school disruption in the face of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has, by far, created the largest education disruption in history and continues to pose threats as it unfolds. The Government of Malawi has, as in many countries, closed schools for three weeks with immediate effect as one measure of controlling the spread of COVID-19.
Whilst closure of schools for the next three weeks is a necessary…
CSEC’s Position on Covid and the Closure of Schools
The Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) wishes to express its opinion on this matter following the calls for closure of schools in the face of the reported surge in Covid cases. There have been recent calls by some quarters is recommending that schools among others should be closed with immediate effect.
We, at CSEC, acknowledge that Malawi is at war, and these unprecedented times call for nothing but conscious and pragmatic decisions to deal with the pandemic for both the present and posterity. We deeply convey our condolences to the nation…
Every year the world, including Malawi observes International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPWD) on the 3rd of December with the aim of promoting the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development.
Today, this important celebration is being observed under the duly appropriate and fitting banner, “Building back better: towards an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world by, for and with persons with disabilities.”
Under normal circumstances, persons with disabilities are less likely to access essential facilities and services in health, community, employment and more specifically in education. According to United Nations…
Reflections on International Literacy Day 2020: Status and Challenges in Malawi
In 1966, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed 8th September as International Literacy Day (ILD) to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights. Since then, while ILDs have been held annually, UNESCO has periodically convened International global Conferences on Adult Education (CONFINTEA) where Adult Literacy and Education (ALE) has been debated and global strategies agreed. The last CONFINTEA (VI) was held in 2009 in Brazil, where delegates from 144 UNESCO member states participated, producing the Belém…
The Education Hub with Benedicto Kondowe
THE NEED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE COVID RESPONSE IN MALAWI’S EDUCATION SECTOR
It has been evident from the first phase of the reopening of schools that significant number of schools continue to teach under very challenging conditions. The learning institutions have now been compelled to select measures that they can conform to in the absence of readily available resources. This will compromise the full implementation of the measures and in turn, the safety of the learning institutions.
Spot checks done on the first day of the reopening and throughout the past month highlighted critical areas…
The Education Hub with Benedicto Kondowe
PREGNANCY SHOULD NOT BE THE END OF EDUCATION: THE READMISSION POLICY IS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER
The recent statistics as shared by the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare (Malawi) reveal the magnitude of the problem of school-going girls pregnancy prevalence rates and those that have found themselves in early marriages during the five-month closure of schools. Although alarming and disheartening, the situation underscores why reopening the schools (in regards to safety guidelines) without further delay was not only necessary but crucial. There is no denying that this is a sad…
Despite being born with a hearing impairment (HI), Chisomo Banda has never heard of sign language before. She has to rely on her teachers’ initiative to be audible enough for her to keep up with her lessons, a strategy she admits is not always effective.
Speaking shyly, Chisomo, now a standard 8 learner at Mlodza Primary School in Lilongwe says her ambition is to become a nurse, probably inspired to be able to help people like herself. However, her dream might be a far-fetched dream as she struggles to keep her grades afloat due to her disability.
“Sometimes I miss…
