Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has called for the standardisation of civic education messages through the establishment of civic education hubs in districts.
The ministry’s Department of Civic Education acting director Lawrence Useni announced the initiative on Monday during a District Executive Committee (DEC) meeting in Blantyre.
He said the responsibility of civ ic educat ion was previously left largely to civil society organisations (CSOs) and non-government a l organisations (NGOs).
“This lack of central coordination has often resulted in conflicting messages on critical issues affecting local communities. To address this, the government has already developed standardised messaging for various sectors, including education,” said Useni.
He f ur ther sa id the department is prepared to establish nearly 400 civic education hubs in traditional authorities (T/ As) nationwide.
“We are mandated to establish area and district civic education hubs in all regions. We will require approximately K5 billion by 2030 to fully implement these hubs,” said Useni.
He said as part of the project’s pilot phase, the department will establish a hub in T/A Chigaru in Blantyre District.
Blantyre district commissioner Alex Mdooko emphasized that civic education is crucial for shaping responsible, informed and engaged citizens.
He said the hubs will empower communities to advocate for specific projects aligned with the country’s long-term development strategy, Malawi 2063.
“The hubs will ensure that communities receive accurate information, enabling them to demand the infrastructure and services they require,” said Mdooko.
