Malawi learns from Zambia on quality education

Officials from the Malawi Education Sector Improvement Programme (MESIP) in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, who went to Zambia on a tour of duty, have returned home with news that they have benefitted immensely.

A delegation of 27 comprising education managers, primary education advisors, headteachers and teachers was in the neighboring country to learn on how Zambia is conducting remedial or catch-up classes in primary schools through one of their programmes called ‘Teaching At the Right Level.’

The Ministry of Education through MESIP is a donor driven programme aimed at improving equity and quality of primary education service delivery in early grade levels with an emphasis on improved accountability and functioning at the school level.

The project is being implemented in 12 areas of Mzimba South, Kasungu, Lilongwe  rural west, Dedza, Mangochi, Machinga, Chikwawa, Thyolo, Mulanje, Dowa, Nkhotakota and Rumphi.

Receiving the delegation from Lusaka, secretary to for education, Justin Saidi, said he was happy to receive the team back from Zambia.

Saidi said the trip will help improve quality of education in Malawi since the officials have learnt a lot from Zambia.

Saidi said the program will help a lot in tackling issues of early pregnancy which lead to increased drop out rate as well as tackling infrastructure improvement.

The total project portfolio is USD 44.90 million for a four-year span.

Leader of the delegation, Jean Chione, who is deputy director in the Ministry , responsible for planning, said the team has learnt a lot in Zambia.

Chione said the team will make use of lessons learnt from Lusaka Zambia.

MESIP is being hailed for introducing a number of initiatives to improve quality of education within the lower classes.

It is said that the MESIP activities have helped retain pupils in school and improved enrolment levels among other things.

MESIP has helped the school address the challenges of shortage of classrooms by providing funding for the construction of learning shelters which have proved to be very effective and conducive to learning.

Currently, school management and the surrounding communities are working closely to ensure that quality of education is improved courtesy of the program.

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