Malawi leader for relevant education

Malawi President Peter Mutharika has challenged universities and all schools of higher learning to design courses that meet needs of students, future employers and the country.

Speaking when he presided over the first congregation as Chancellor of Mzuzu University, Mutharika said Malawi needs relevant education which produces skills that industry needs and graduates who can create jobs for others.

He said having taught at several universities in Africa and overseas, he has understanding and appreciation of education.

“There are several aspects of higher education in this country that must be addressed if we are to develop, namely: access, quality, relevance, management and good governance.

“It is the wish of my government that more youth are enrolled in university as higher education is critical to the development of this country,” said Mutharika.

He also expressed the need for the quality of university education in Malawi to be critically assessed, saying any institution of higher learning must feel challenged to achieve the highest quality of its output.

He also advised on good management and governance practices, saying universities must follow acts and statutes under which they operate, develop and fairly administer good internal policies, procedures and regulations in a timely manner and be bastions of integrity.

Mutharika talked about the need for finding innovative ways of financing the country’s universities both through attracting more resources externally and by finding additional resources locally.

He disclosed that government has recently approved a loan from the World Bank for a Skills Development Project that will direct significant resources to the University of Malawi, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Mzuzu University.

During the function 686 students graduated, 27 of them receiving postgraduate degrees.