Education expert Steven Shara has raised concerns about the consistent Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) pass rate, stating that it has little to no impact on achieving the long-term goals outlined in Agenda 2063.
Shara’s comments come in response to the latest MSCE results, which, according to the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) Executive Director, Dorothy Nampota, show a slight improvement.
In 2024, out of 177,434 students who sat for the exams, 97,222 passed, representing a 54.79% pass rate.
This marks a small increase from the 54.40% pass rate in 2023.
Despite the consistent pass rate, Shara pointed out that the same districts have been performing well year after year, while others consistently lag behind.
He noted that Zomba Urban continues to lead with a 69.7% pass rate, while Machinga remains the lowest performer at 47.3%.
“This trend has persisted for over a decade, which he says is alarming,” he said.
Shara emphasized that this stagnation has serious implications for achieving the goals set in Agenda 2063, which aims for a well-educated population and a skills revolution driven by science and technology.
He added that many underperforming students do not advance to higher education, leading to a growing number of school dropouts and missed opportunities for further development.
In his view, if this trend continues, Malawi will struggle to meet the educational benchmarks necessary for its long-term development goals.
Vice President Dr. Michael Bizwick Usi held a series of important meetings today with representatives from the European Union, the World Bank, and Norway.
The discussions, which took place at the Office of the Vice President at Capital Hill in Lilongwe, focused on crucial topics such as climate financing and public sector reforms.
One of the key issues on the table was Climate Finance Instruments, where the parties explored innovative ways to address climate change.
The talks also looked at how Malawi and other Least Developed Countries (LDCs) can access more climate financing ahead of the COP 29 summit, scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan in November 2024.
Another significant area of discussion was Public Sector Reforms.
The focus here was on building strategic partnerships to strengthen institutional capacity, promote transparency, and ensure greater accountability within the public sector.
These meetings reflect Dr. Usi’s commitment to driving forward national development by engaging with key international partners to support Malawi’s goals on climate action and public sector transformation.
President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, on Tuesday, launched the 2024 Presidential Golf Initiative, at Kamuzi Palace in Lilongwe.
At the ceremony , a leading Bank in Malawi, NBS, donated K155 million towards the couse, thereby becoming a diamond sponsor the event.
This year’s event has been slated for October 11th and 12th at the Country Club Limbe Golf Course in Blantyre.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Chakwera Chakwera described the gesture by NBS Bank as Corporate Social Responsibility of the highest order.
He said money raised through the initiative will go a long way in helping students in higher learning institutions as well as rebuilding Malawi from the effects of natural disasters.
He then challenged golfers to come in large numbers to make this year’s event a memorable one.
In her remarks, NBS Bank Deputy Chief Executive Officer said they decided to partner the president as a diamond sponsor for this year’s event because the funds realized supports victims of natural disasters and also that it supports education.
Gift Kawamba, Chairperson of the Charity Golf Tournament Main Organizing Committee said his committee is working tirelessly to woo more golfers to this year’s event.
A Representative of Presidential Charity Initiative Boyd Lumbe urged more sponsors to come in and join hands with government to reach out to the vulnerable people across the country.
The funds, raised during the 2023 Presidential Charity Golf Tournament, include K225 million allocated to six public universities, with each receiving K37.5 million.
The remaining K225 million was donated to DoDMA for rebuilding Mpatsa Primary School, located under Traditional Authority Tengani, which was buried by sand during the cyclone.
Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) in partnership with the Malawi Blood Transfusion Service (MBTS) and Mangochi District Hospital will next week start blood donation mobilisation campaigns in the area of Sub Traditional Authority (STA) Kapichi in Mangochi district with the aim of ensuring sustainable availability of blood and blood products in the Eastern Region.
This was revealed during an interface meeting held between the two organisations and Mangochi District Hospital at MRCS offices in Mangochi district.
The campaigns which will start on September 23, will be conducted under MRCS’s four-year long Community Resilience Project (COMREP).
COMREP Project Coordinator Mercy Chalimba said she was optimistic that with increased awareness on blood donation, MBTS will be able to collect and supply enough blood and blood products to all authorised hospitals in the Eastern Region of Malawi.
“The demand for blood is not as it was ten years ago, there are a lot of patients in need of blood right now and we really need to roll up our sleeves. We need to increase awareness so that we have a good number of regular blood donors across the region,” she said.
On her part, Head of MBTS Balaka Centre, Edith Chimphamba commended Red Cross for the timely intervention saying the campaign will boost blood collections in the region.
“I would like to thank MRCS for being one of our key partners for a long time. MRCS has been supporting blood donation mobilisation activities at Odalla (Blantyre), Lilongwe and Mzuzu MBTS centres and I am glad that this time around you have considered us here in the Eastern Region. We have been longing for this exercise and I am looking forward to a good working relationship so that we achieve our goal of collecting safe and adequate blood,” said Chimphamba.
In her remarks, MRCS Blood Donor Recruitment Focal Person Linda Mpanang’ombe assured MBTS of continued support and that MRCS will make sure that all the District Red Cross Committees are taking part in supporting blood donor mobilization activities.
Meanwhile, an Area Development Committee (ADC) meeting has already been conducted with all the Chiefs and ADC members in the area as one way of preparing for the forthcoming exercise.
The first phase of the campaign with target the areas of Chimphamba(Nsaka), Kasankha, Kamphande, Kapichi and Mponya.
MBTS adopted a comprehensive safe blood transfusion strategy based on World Health Organisation guidelines of which the key aspect is the promotion of voluntary non-remunerated blood donations.
The Balaka Blood Transfusion Centre which covers the districts of Balaka, Machinga,Mangochi, Ntcheu and the Lakeshore part of Dedza district, has a target of 17,334 units of blood in this financial year.
President Lazarus Chakwera has appointed two former Malawi Defence Force (MDF) generals to serve as ambassadors in key foreign countries, further strengthening Malawi’s diplomatic representation. General Vincent Nundwe has been deployed as Malawi’s ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, while General Peter Andrew Namathanga has been posted as the ambassador to Zimbabwe.
These strategic appointments reflect President Chakwera’s confidence in experienced military leaders to advance Malawi’s diplomatic interests and deepen relations with Morocco and Zimbabwe, two important partners for the country.
Nundwe
General Vincent Nundwe, a former MDF Commander, takes on the role of Malawi’s ambassador to Morocco. Nundwe is known for his leadership during crucial times in Malawi’s military history, and his experience in managing national security and international operations makes him a valuable asset in representing Malawi’s interests abroad.
As ambassador to Morocco, Nundwe is expected to enhance bilateral relations between Malawi and Morocco, particularly in areas such as defense cooperation, agriculture, tourism, and education. Morocco, a key player in North Africa and within the African Union (AU), has shown increasing interest in building stronger ties with sub-Saharan Africa, and Nundwe’s appointment signals Malawi’s intention to tap into these opportunities for growth and cooperation.
General Peter Andrew Namathanga, another former MDF Commander, has been appointed as Malawi’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, a crucial neighbor in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Namathanga’s deep understanding of regional security dynamics, combined with his military background, positions him well to advance diplomatic relations between Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe has long been a key partner for Malawi, and Namathanga’s role as ambassador will likely focus on enhancing political, economic, and defense cooperation. Given the historical ties between the two countries, his appointment is expected to contribute to a strengthening of regional alliances and greater collaboration in areas such as trade, security, and infrastructure development.
President Chakwera’s decision to appoint former military generals to diplomatic roles highlights a growing trend of leveraging the expertise of seasoned military leaders in international relations. Nundwe and Namathanga’s appointments are seen as part of a broader strategy to deepen Malawi’s ties with key regional and international partners through the lens of security, peace, and economic collaboration.
The two generals’ extensive experience in leadership, crisis management, and strategic planning will be vital as they navigate complex diplomatic landscapes and represent Malawi’s interests on the global stage.
The deployment of Vincent Nundwe and Peter Andrew Namathanga to Morocco and Zimbabwe underscores President Chakwera’s commitment to strengthening Malawi’s foreign policy and positioning the country as a significant player in both regional and international affairs. By entrusting these seasoned military veterans with critical ambassadorial roles, President Chakwera has demonstrated his belief in their ability to foster stronger ties with key countries and help Malawi secure opportunities for development and cooperation.
Their appointments are expected to open new doors for Malawi, particularly in terms of trade, defense, and political partnerships, contributing to the country’s broader goals of national progress and international engagement.
