* To will assist the National Mathematics Curriculum Reform activities, that include improved school supervision and teacher support
* As well as community engagement, delivery of teaching and learning materials and response to school emergencies
Maravi Express
The United Kingdom (UK), through the British High Commission to Malawi, handed over 14 motorcycles on Wednesday to the Ministry of Education to help ease mobility for primary education advisers (PEAs) in 12 districts across the country.
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At the handover ceremony in Lilongwe, the British High Commission’s Human Development Team Leader & Deputy Development Director, Dan Pine said motorcycles will assist the National Mathematics Curriculum Reform activities.
These include improved school supervision, teacher support, community engagement, delivery of teaching and learning materials and response to school emergencies — there by contributing to improved education outcomes.
On behalf of the Ministry of Education, Director of Quality Assurance Services, Dr Golden Msilimba, profoundly thanked the British government for the investment, saying it will go a long way in their various services to the country’s education.
To-date UK has supported the Ministry of Education with training of over 28,000 standard 1 and 2 teachers, head teachers and PEAs in effective teaching of mathematics.
The UK has also assisted in printing and distribution of learners’ workbooks and teacher Guides for about 3 million children.
Meanwhile, Minister of Basic & Secondary Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima says the government is committed to improve the teaching and learning environment for primary and secondary schools in the country.
She said this yesterday she toured the newly constructed classrooms and toilets under Malawi Education Reform Programme (MERP) at Ferry Primary School in Balaka District.
The construction of over 10,000 classrooms under MERP across the country will help to reduce the challenge of congestion in both primary and secondary schools: “I am very excited to see that the project is bearing fruits as now our children can enjoy learning in modern classrooms here at Ferry Primary School.
Government believes this will help schools serve more children,” she said, adding that MERP has helped to create a conducive learning environment that has also enabled learners to perform well in their education.
“It is the utmost goal of government to improve the primary and secondary education in the country and it is for this reason that we have also previously employed over 4,000 auxiliary teachers in primary schools.”
Wirima (centre)
Wirima, therefore, called for a concerted effort from all stakeholders in the education sector to provide adequate teaching and learning materials in order to further improve education in Malawi.
Funded by the World Bank and the Global Partnership on Education (GPE), MERP has been implemented for over four years across the country to improve the learning environment in the lower education sector.
Balaka District Council chairperson, Pharao Kambiri applauded the Ministry for putting primary and secondary education at heart, saying it will help to brighten the future of children in the district.
He said the Council will continue working tirelessly and collectively to improve the education of children in Balaka.—Reporting from Balaka by Andrew Phiri, MANA
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