Coaches fault FAM on MSCE
National Football Coaches Association (NFCA) says FAM’s decision to introduce Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) as a minimum requirement for CAF A and B course will have a negative impact on football development in the country.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) technical director Benjamin Kumwenda announced on Wednesday that the next cohort for the CAF A and B licence course will only consider those with a minimum of MSCE.
He said: “We are attaching academic requirements on all who can attend A and B coaching licence courses. The game is changing. We want someone who is academically sound.
“We don’t want coaches at this level to fail just because they lack sound education. This is the highest level in coaching. It is like a degree.”
But NFCA chairperson Aubrey Nankhuni said FAM should tread carefully on the matter as it may backfire.
He said: “If you ask me if this is a step in the right direction, I would tell you that it is going to affect most of our members.
“Most of the good coaches we have today, who have played football at top level, never had a chance to finish school due to various reasons.
“The question is: Can they go back to school now and write the MSCE examination and pass? These are the issues that FAM should have considered.”
Former Flames captain Joseph Kamwendo, who is Wanderers Reserves assistant coach, said there is no need to introduce the academic requirement.
He said: “Where are we getting this from? I have been to Europe, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, but I have never heard of such a thing.
“We have CAF A or B licence holders with MSCE, yet they do not practice coaching. They do not have the passion for the game.”
Kamwendo, a CAF C licence holder, said it would be unfair to introduce the MSCE requirement when others already got the same CAF A and B credentials without the academic requirement.
He said: “Many of us never had a chance to finish school because of the same game. But we have vast experience in football. And, as they say, experience is the best teacher.”
Zingwangwa United coach Dida Zingwangwa said while education is key in any career, barring those without MSCE from attending CAF A and B licence is not a solution.
He said: “I believe there can be a compromise. Just like playing football, coaching is also about talent. We have a lot of talented coaches out there who do not have MSCE certificates.
“Should they be denied a chance to contribute their talent to our football just because they do not have MSCE?”
Zingwangwa, who also holds CAF C licence, said a compromise can be reached.
He said: “If the reason is to ensure coaches are computer literate, let them just say that the coaches should undergo basic computer lessons.”
