By Dean Chisambo
Since assuming office in October 2025, Minister of Labour, Skills and Innovation Joel Chigona has brought renewed momentum to Malawi’s skills development agenda. He has placed particular emphasis on expanding access to technical and vocational education, while strengthening labour administration and workforce development nationwide.
One of Chigona’s key achievements has been reviving stalled Community Technical College projects. Several colleges initiated between 2020 and 2021 had remained incomplete for years, delaying government efforts to expand skills training in rural communities.
Within months of taking office, the Minister resumed construction at three key institutions: Nsoni, Kalinga, and Machinga Community Colleges. All three projects have now surpassed 95% completion and are nearing readiness to open their doors to thousands of young Malawians seeking technical and vocational skills.
Chigona’s impact extends beyond infrastructure. Community technical colleges are central to Malawi’s drive toward industrialization and job creation. By accelerating completion timelines, he has helped restore public confidence in the government’s commitment to delivering skills development where it is needed most.
Under his leadership, the Ministry has also embarked on one of the most ambitious reforms in the Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training (TEVET) sector in recent years: a comprehensive review and modernization of TEVETA curricula.
Recognizing that many training programmes were no longer aligned with evolving industry demands and technological advancements, the Ministry, working with TEVETA and industry stakeholders, launched a nationwide curriculum review. The goal is to ensure graduates emerge with competencies that directly respond to labour market needs and the demands of a modern economy. The exercise is underway across all regions and is expected to make vocational training more relevant, practical, and responsive to emerging economic opportunities.
Beyond infrastructure and curriculum reforms, Chigona has focused on strengthening technical capacity in critical sectors. Under his leadership, Lilongwe Technical College has continued training technicians from health facilities across Malawi and beyond in refrigeration, cold chain management, and solar-powered refrigeration systems.
These interventions are not merely academic. They directly reduce vaccine spoilage and strengthen healthcare delivery, particularly in rural areas where reliable cold chain systems are essential.
Chigona’s approach is grounded in the belief that skills development must serve national priorities. The Ministry has consistently positioned human capital development as a key driver of Malawi 2063, recognizing that no nation can industrialize or compete effectively without a skilled workforce.
At the same time, the Ministry continues to engage the public on labour issues, promoting awareness of workers’ rights, labour standards, and minimum wage regulations through education campaigns and stakeholder engagement. It is also working to improve understanding of labour laws and encourage compliance among employers and workers.
Observers in the skills development sector credit Chigona’s leadership style—focused on visibility and implementation rather than only policy pronouncements—for the tangible progress. Key outcomes include completing stalled projects, modernizing training systems, and strengthening institutions responsible for developing Malawi’s workforce.
The Ministry notes that credit also belongs to President Arthur Peter Mutharika whose decision to entrust the Labour, Skills and Innovation portfolio to Chigona reflected the growing importance of skills development in Malawi’s economic transformation agenda.
“At a time when youth unemployment remains a national concern, the emphasis on technical and vocational training has become increasingly critical,” a Ministry statement reads.
While significant work remains—particularly in expanding training opportunities and ensuring graduates transition successfully into employment and entrepreneurship—Chigona’s first months in office have shown a clear focus on delivery.
The revival of three Community Technical Colleges, the ongoing review of TEVET curricula, continued investment in specialized technical training, and sustained advocacy on labour matters collectively point to a Ministry steadily repositioning itself as a key driver of Malawi’s human capital development agenda.
If the current trajectory is maintained, the Ministry may emerge as one of government’s strongest contributors to building the skilled workforce envisioned under the Malawi 2063 agenda.
