Minister of Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima, has announced the government’s plan to introduce diploma and degree programs for primary school teachers. This initiative aims to facilitate their professional development and enhance their professional standing.
Addressing the audience on Wednesday during the commemoration of this year’s World Teachers’ Day in Mzuzu, Wirima revealed that these educational programs will be launched as pilot projects at three recently established Teachers’ Training Colleges (TTC) in Rumphi, Mchinji, and Chikwawa.
Wirima emphasized that once primary school teachers attain these higher qualifications, they will continue to work within the primary education sector, ensuring that young learners have access to well-trained and qualified educators.
“Introduction of diploma and degree programmes for our primary school teachers is in line with the Malawi Education Sector Improvement Programme (MESIP) 2020-2030 which emphasises on provision of high quality and relevant teacher training, including continuous professional development,” Wirima said.
She also reaffirmed government’s commitment to addressing secondary school teachers’ demands for promotions, saying her ministry is about to finalise a functional review for the secondary school subsector which will, among others, see an upgrade of positions and creation of more posts for secondary school teachers.
“Government acknowledges the pivotal role teachers play in the education sector and recognises the importance of motivating them through promotions to ensure that they deliver high education which our children deserve,” Wirima said.
President for Secondary School Teachers’ Association, Pilirani Kaporo and Treasure General for Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM), Bresters Nyirenda asked government to hire more teachers to address high student to teacher ratios prevalent in public primary and secondary schools.
Speaking in separate interviews, Kaporo and Nyirenda said educators in public education facilities are overwhelmed by huge workloads due to high enrollment rates emanating from the country’s population boom.
They also asked government to improve their working conditions by, among others, raising their salaries, providing them with accommodation and re-introducing hardship allowances for teachers working in remote areas.
The theme for this year’s World Teachers’ Day commemoration was; ‘The teachers we need for the education we want: A global imperative to reverse teachers shortage.”
