Minister of Higher Education, Jessie Kabwila, has commended teachers for being the cornerstone of quality education in Malawi due to their unwavering dedication and hard work.
She made the remarks on Thursday during the official opening ceremony of the Leadership Summer School held at the Malawi School of Government (MSG) in Lilongwe.
Dr. Kabwila emphasised that the initiative aims to enhance the capacity of teacher educators and is in line with the country’s development plans to upgrade teacher training institutions for continuous professional development.
She revealed that since 2022, Mary Immaculate College in Ireland has been collaborating with Malawi’s Directorate of Teacher Education and Development (DTED), and a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two institutions is currently being finalised.
Dr. Kabwila expressed her joy over the growing support from the Prime Minister of Ireland in strengthening ties between Malawi and Ireland in both the teacher and higher education sectors.
She noted that such collaboration will significantly contribute to the development of human capital in line with the aspirations of Malawi 2063.
The minister also highlighted that the Leadership Summer School demonstrates the government’s full commitment to achieving the goals outlined in the Malawi 2063 Vision and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 4.
She said these goals focus on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education while promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Finn Ó Murchú, a retired head of Mary Immaculate College from Ireland, also spoke during the event and applauded the partnership with Malawi.
He stated that the forthcoming memorandum of understanding will ensure that Malawi’s teacher training colleges (TTCs) are equipped with the necessary resources to deliver quality education.
Ó Murchú emphasised the pivotal role TTCs play in the country’s education system and expressed confidence that the partnership will further enhance their impact.
Representatives from several teacher training colleges were in attendance, including Karonga TTC, Rumphi TTC, Kasungu TTC, Lilongwe TTC, and Mchinji TTC.
Also present were officials from the National Council for Higher Education and other stakeholders in the education sector.
The Leadership Summer School initiative is expected to strengthen the education system by investing in the continuous training and empowerment of educators across Malawi.
