By James Kanyenda,
Minister of Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima says government remains committed to creating an enabling environment through policies that support the growth of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), which is key to the realisation of the Malawi 2063 Vision.
The Minister made the remarks earlier today when she presided over the launch of Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) 2024-2027strategic plan at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe.
The plan focuses on education, research, innovation and entrepreneurship, responding to societal needs, thereby helping the country to accelerate its realisation of the First 10 Year Implementation Plan of the Malawi 2063 (MIP1), running from 2021 to 2030.
“As you are well aware, my Ministry has a whole directorate on STI. This demonstrates our commitment to see the sector grow and contribute to the creation of a Malawi we want.
“We want our universities, more so those running on public resources, to demonstrate their relevance to the nation by being at the centre of solutions. Local challenges can be best solved by local solutions,” Wirima emphasised, adding the country want practical technologies and innovations that will benefit its people, today and now.
She said universities are supposed to offer solutions to problems industries are facing through research, consultancies, and innovation of modern and advanced technologies that can lead to efficiency in production.
Wirima then called upon all players involved to commit themselves to the implementation of the strategic plan.
MUST Council Chairperson, Dr Mathews Mtumbuka said through the plan, the university has resolved to champion industrialisation pillar as well as human capital development of the Malawi 2063.
He said so far, the university has already made great strides towards the cause.
“As a university, we have committed ourselves to be a solution provider through innovation and technology driven by science and meet societal needs,” he said, while expressing university’s commitment to the strategic plan’s full implementation.
MUST Vice Chancellor, Professor Address Malata said for Malawi to realise its development agenda, manufacturing should be advanced and as such the university is mandated to help in the drive.
She said both the university and its graduates are into manufacturing and now they want to expand further, citing their plan to construct a tech centre at Kamphata in Lilongwe and thereafter move up north.
The event directly supported the Ministry’s 2024 theme ‘Propelling Malawi’s Education Renaissance in The Digital Age: Inclusive Foundational Learning and STEAM Skills for Strong Human Capital’.
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