Peter Ngwenyama

State-owned Technical Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education Training Authority (TEVETA) has provided apprenticeship tools worth K900 million to the 2020 cohort of apprentices and technical collages across the country.

Speaking during the official symbolic handover of the tools at Kapondo Community Technical College Mchinji on Friday, Minister of Labour, Agnes NyaLonje, said the tools will assist the TEVET graduates to become self-employed by growing their businesses thereby employ others.

“We provide these tools to you out TEVET graduates to assist you in your quest to become entrepreneurs, able to generate your own self sustainable income,” she said.

NyaLonje added that youths in Malawi are a biggest national resource with a huge potential if given the right support.

Through education including TEVET education, she said, there is opportunity to empower young people to act as agents of their own personal and national development.

According to her the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development advocates youth-centric approaches to development, adding that the SDG framework pays attention to youth education, health, employment, empowerment, security, equality and participation and the Agenda 2063 of the African Union echoes the same while at national level the Malawi 2063 is also youth focused as it espouses the ideals of youth inclusion, shared prosperity and commitment to addressing the key challenges and barriers to youth development.

She further said the 2013 TEVET policy emphasizes the need for the system to be more accessible, responsive and relevant to the labour market by enhancing the entrepreneurial culture and increasing production and productivity in both formal and informal sectors.

However, the minister said, to ensure that TEVET graduates are relevant to labour market, the policy underscores the provision of adequate and relevant training equipment and materials.

NyaLonje expected the tools will facilitate and improve apprenticeship training in technical collages, allowing the students to have an opportunity to access relevant hands on training in colleges as well as TEVET graduates to apply themselves more effectively within the industry.

The minister also laid a foundation stone to start the construction of the Kapondo Community Technical College.

TEVETA Board Chairperson, Don Whayo said the Institution fully recognizes government commitment to the promotion of technical and vocational education and training in Malawi.

“We recognize that government has entrusted us to champion quality technical and vocational training which will enable young people start their own business ventures,”he said.

Whayo said the Authority decided to procure and distribute the tools inorder to compliment government’s efforts towards empowering youths in the country.

Governments of Malawi and Zambia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Optic Fibre connectivity to enhance internet while reducing data prices in two countries.

Minister of Information and Digitalization, Moses Kunkuyu signed the MOU and the commercial agreement with his counterpart, Zambia Minister of Science and Technology, Felix Mutati on Thursday, in Lilongwe.

Kunkuyu said the collaboration and interaction between the two countries has started bearing fruits as they move into the next phase of transforming the thoughts and ideas into tangible areas of cooperation.

“Together we have resolved to collaborate in telecommunications, ICT policy and regulation, spectrum management, satellite Communications, cybersecurity as well as exploring opportunities for joint ventures in digitalization and ICT,” he said.

Kunkuyu further said their collaboration is also expected to promote and facilitate trade and investment in the ICT sectors of the two countries the Government to Government MOU.

He added that the two governments have concluded a Commercial Agreement between state owned Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) and Zambia’s FibreCom.

This agreement will enable Malawi through Escom to purchase internet connectivity capacity from FibreCom at a friendlier cost thereby facilitate Malawi’s goal of bringing down the cost of connectivity in Malawi, he said.

Kunkuyu said their diplomatic relations with Zambia have facilitated the critical milestone doe Malawi to achieve its flagship connectivity intervention, the Diplomatic Data Corridor.

The minister believed that the MOU and Commercial Agreement signed will open more doors and avenues for more deeper collaboration in achieving full digitalization of the two nations especially government services.

Zambia Minister of Science and Technology, Mutati said one of the barriers the two nations are facing is high connectivity costs.

“The agreement will enable people of two nations to do businesses as data will now be cheap,” he said.

Mutati said individuals and governments will be able to make decisions based on data because they have created efficiency on how to deliver to people did to internet connectivity.

Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola has expressed concern over delays by Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) to clear the backlog of applications under the Malawi Electricity Access Project (MEAP).

Matola made the remarks on Wednesday when he paid a surprise visit to ESCOM Offices at Game Complex and Power House located in Old Town in Lilongwe.

He said his visit follows an incident where a gentleman who decided to splash out urine due to frustration that ESCOM took ages to connect its customers to its greed.

“Most people applied for electricity in Malawi under the project in 2016 few were connected while some of them until today have not been connected,” he said.

Matola said he was not impressed looking at the figures of those who have been assisted hence the sudden visit on how they are handling the applicants and complaints.

Apart from MEAP issues, Matola also visited the Power Station where faults are handled.

He urged workers to give good customer care when answering queries from people as well as avoiding indulging into politics.

He however assured Malawians that the President Lazurus Chakwera and his Tonse led government is doing everything possible to make sure people are connected to electricity.

ESCOM Regional Manager for the Centre George Matukuta acknowledged that they are indeed genuine complaints and others emanating from lack of knowledge.

“We will improve in communication with the customers so that they should know what we are doing and addressing the short falls,” he said.

Matukuta added that the utility company has been assured of resources to clear the backlog in MEAP and other projects.

According to him, in MEAP project, ESCOM is aspiring to connect 180,000 customers with a backlog of 72000 but reduced it to 35,000 nationwide.

Headteacher at Mtemambalame Secondary School, Forget Chiphale, who brought his complaint at ESCOM said he is yet to be assisted of electricity connection of teachers’ houses at the school.

“ESCOM connected only houses five houses leaving out six houses. We have been coming here with this complaint for so many times but to no avail,” he said.

Chiphale was optimistic that the minister’s visit will speed up the connection to the houses at the school.

Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda has described climate change as a greatest threat to human health globally.

Chiponda made the remarks on Tuesday in Lilongwe during the official opening of a two-day regional meeting on Health and Climate Change aimed to forge a common position on climate change and health for Africa.

She said the threat and impact of climate change is more pronounced in developing countries like Malawi which are not resilient to climate shocks.

“Climate change is no longer a a distant threat. It is here with us now,” she said, adding that adverse effects of climate change are increasingly impacting the planet, affecting not only the environment, but also the health and well-being of our communities.

Chiponda further said: “It is a reality that we are seeing and feeling every day. It is no longer something that we just talk about.”

According to her, Malawi is characterized on Climate Change Index as one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change. From 1946, the nation has experienced major droughts, floods, extreme weather events including cyclones which have caused devastating health impacts.

African region is experiencing an increase in climate related health emergencies, she said.

The minister observed that climate related disasters will continue to rise rapidly if urgent adaptation and mitigation measures are not implemented.

Amref Health Africa, Chief Executive Officer, Dr Githinji Gitahi underscored the need for a paradigm shift in addressing climate justice.

“It is imperative that we fully integrate health into climate dialogue,” she said.

By doing so, Gitahi said, they can foster more comprehensive strategies that safeguard the well-being of communities while addressing the global climate crisis.

Discussing under the theme: In Pursuit of a Unified African Position on Health in Climate Negotiations, the regional meeting has brought together state and non state actors, experts, leaders in health and climate change in order to build consensus, share insights and amplify the Africa common position on health within the context of climate change with the ultimate goal of fostering sustainable and comprehensive policies that prioritize health and environment.

UNICEF, with support from Governments of United States of America (USA) and Germany, has handed over community health, Non Communicable Disease (NCD) screening and immunization supplies worth over K10 billion ($10million) to Malawi’s Ministry of Health.

The supplies include vaccine refrigerated vans, vaccine refrigerators, cooler oxes, vaccine carriers, water packs, push bicycles gumboots, backpacks, raincoats, phone tablets, glucometers and BP machines.

Speaking when she received the donation, Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda commended the partners for elevating health standards of Malawians.

“These generous contributions will be pivotal in amplifying our capability to offer high quality immunization services and holistic healthcare in the country,” she said.

Chiponda said government nurtures a close relationship with partners adding that their shared goal is to guarantee that every citizen, child in Malawi benefits from vital vaccines and comprehensive health services.

The minister therefore assured the partners that the equipment and supplies will be used for their intended purpose.

UNICEF Country Representative, Shadrack Omol, said Malawi has, for years, faced numerous challenges from significant gaps in its community health workforce to frequent shortages in essential medical supplies, it’s system has at multiple times been stretched in.

“The health of a nation rests in its ability to provide timely, effective and safe healthcare services to its people,” he said.

Essential to this are the tools, equipment and supplies that frontline health workers use every day, he said.

Omol however urged the ministry to uphold the responsibility to ensure the equipment and supplies are used effectively, maintained properly and that health workers are trained to use them to their fullest potential.

US Ambassador to Malawi, David Young, said they are proud to participate in the joint cooperation to support Malawi in the delivery of healthcare services.

“The equipment and supplies will help health workers in Malawi to routinely screen NCD’s and provide vaccines,” he said.

While Germany Ambassador to Malawi, Ute Koening, said her government is pleased to join the partnership to help Malawi.

“This is a big step forward to the people of Malawi in providing them with equipment and supplies,” she said.

Koening said Germany has been supporting the Malawian Health sector for over half a century.

Minister of Homeland Security Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma is leading a Malawi delegation at the COMESA Summit for Immigration and Labour, which is taking place in Livingstone, Zambia.

The meeting has brought together ministers, chiefs of immigration and director generals as well as commissioners of labour from COMESA member states.

Among others,the summit has launched the COMESA Regional Mitigation Database and the first COMESA labour Mitigation Statistics Report.

The delegates have among others discussed key issues in relation to the status of implementation of COMESA protocol on free movement of persons, labour and services.

Additionally, the summit has seen delegates deliberating on how best they can develop the COMESA- wide migration database as well as ratification of the COMESA legal instrument.

Government has expressed concern over the unconducive environment of learners in boarding schools in the country. 

Deputy Minister of Education, Nancy Chaola Mdooko expressed worry when he was responding to a question from Rumphi West legislature, Yona Adadawiza Mkandawire on Tuesday in Parliament who wanted to know about government policy used to ensure conducive learning environment. 

Mdooko said she is unhappy seeing the girls sleeping on the floor in some schools in the country citing an example of a situation at Livili Secondary School.

“Government will liaise with other ministries and departments to ensure that girls are well accommodated all over the country including the mentioned secondary  school,” she said. 

However, Luvili Secondary School accommodates at least 300 learners and all sleep on the floor

Earlier, Blantyre North MP, Francis Phiso also wanted to know if there were any plans for the government to come up with District boarding secondary schools. 

In her response, Mdooko said the Ministry has no immediate plan for construction of boarding schools, but only schools of excellences and Blantyre will get a share. 

Many of the questions from Members of Parliament focused on the need to construct girls’ secondary hostels in different parts of the country.

The Ministry of Education has announced names of best performing students during the 2023 Primary School Leaving Certificate Education (PSLCE).

Alinafe Chulu from Play Door Private Primary School in Blantyre (Girl) and Henderson Levison (Boy) from Nampeya Primary School in Machinga emerged the best.

Minister of Education Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima told reporters in Lilongwe during the release of 2023 PSLCE and JCE results that it is right to recognize the top students in the PSLCE.

“Chulu has emerged the overall top performer in the examinations followed by Levison,” she said.

Wirima said the nation should recognize the two young performers because this is very encouraging to young people who are sitting for examinations.