The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology says it is committed to providing quality education in line with the Abidjan Principles.
Director of Policy and Planning in the Ministry of Education Science and Technology Rodwell Mzonde made the remarks during the launch of a report on private education and compliance with the Abidjan principles in Lilongwe on Thursday.
The report says that there should be free public education of the highest attainable quality in accordance with human rights obligation, and that private schools should effectively regulated and monitored by both government, private sector and civil society organizations.
Speaking with reporters, Director of Policy and Planning in the Ministry of Education Science and Technology Rodwell Mzonde said that the report is also looking at striking a balance between government obligation to provide free public education and ensuring that the private sector is involved so that education should not be wholly privatized.
He added by expressing concern over challenges in provision of quality education.
“On this note, government is going to utilize the report and address challenges affecting the sector.
“This is going to be achieved since we are constructing school blocks, we are also asking the private sector to stop recruiting unqualified teachers,” he said.
In his remarks, Action Aid Malawi Executive Director Assan Golowa said stakeholders including civil Society Organizations (SOs) should hold government to account to ensure that human rights obligations are met regarding the right to free public education.
Golowa added that donors should as well support government to mobilise revenue in progressive and sustainable way to adequately fund free, public education.
In a separate interview, Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) Executive Director Benedicto Kondowe said government is obligated to ensure that public education is free in Malawi since the 2013 Act is already providing free compulsory education.
The Abidjan Principles, adopted by experts in 2019 in Ivory Coast following three years of consultations, are about the human rights obligation of states to provide public education while regulating private sector involvement in education.
