EU avails K20bn for new skills technical programme

The European Union (EU) has given Malawi Government 33 million euros (about K21 billion) to buy equipment and rehabilitate technical colleges nationwide under the new skills and technical education programme (Step).

Speaking during the signing ceremony on Wednesday in Lilongwe, EU head of delegation to Malawi Marchel Gerrmann said the EU is committed to supporting technical colleges because they are facing many challenges.

He said: “The technical and vocational training sector is facing a lot of challenges, including lack of good equipment to be used by the students. Presently, only 8 356 students are enrolled in technical colleges which is among the lowest figures in sub-Saharan Africa.”

Germann said EU is supporting Malawi to become a middle-income economy because the National Export Strategy (NES) is relying on a skilled workforce as an enabler for increased productivity and improving the economy.

Minister of Labour, Youth and Manpower Development Henry Mussa expressed happiness with the funding, saying that skills development and technical colleges is at the heart of the government.

“This development is a reflection of the EU’s appreciation of the government’s agenda for skills development and employment creation in Malawi,” he said.

Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe assured the EU that the money will be used for the intended purpose and that the country’s youths will be main beneficiaries.

Step has three specific objectives which include promotion of equitable and gender-based access to technical, entrepreneurial, vocational education and training [Tevet] and improve the quality and relevance of Tevet as well as strengthening governance and management of Tevet regulatory bodies and training institutions. n