Public and private sectors archaic—Chakwera
President Lazarus Chakwera yesterday took a swipe at the private sector and yet his own public sector, calling the two entities archaic and needing urgent refreshing.
During a Mzuzu University (Mzuni) graduation which he presided over, Chakwera said both the public and private sectors are running on outdated systems which must be replaced with new ways of doing things.
He said his message to anyone in government is that they should either jump on the train of innovation or get out of the way.
Said Chakwera: “Private sector needs innovation. We have a 20-year-old Private sector. We also have a public sector that is two decades old. We are changing that. My message in the next six years is to innovate and innovate some more.”
Chakwera, who is Mzuni chancellor, said the evidence of education is in what the graduates can understand, stressing that it is a tragedy to have graduates who cannot do anything.
He said: “There are people with degrees but with no understanding of anything. Your education does not prove that you are educated. If you do not understand you are graduating but not educated.”
Mzuni Vice Chancellor Wales Singini advised graduands to become captains of excellence and rather not champions of alcoholism, drugs and corruption.
He pointed out programmes such as horticulture and fruit propagation which he said have already won the hearts of some Italian companies.
Said Singini: “Be champions of excellence not beer and drugs. These days, they say we have promoted systematic stealing through our training.”
The graduation ceremonies yesterday and today will see 2 625 students from graduating including 65 with master’s degrees and 11 with Phds.
Chakwera tasked former Vice-President Saulos Chilima to lead the Public Sector Reforms and Systems Review Task Force in February 2021.
The reforms report, however, never saw the light of day sparking rage from members of the public and civil society organisations who demanded for its recommendations to be implemented.
The task force on Public Service Systems Review recommended radical changes in the public sector to curb endemic abuse of funds.
