By Dean Chisambo
United States government through United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has committed to strengthen higher education among the youths of this country.
Speaking after launched the five years of Transforming Higher Education Systems Project in Lilongwe, United States Ambassador David Young said their government is strongly believes the importance of investing in the next generation that’s why they come up with the project which will builds upon USAID’s long term support to higher in Malawi and emphasizes their commitment to strengthen education as a key to bolstering the country’s economy.
Young said their government has invested heavily in primary and secondary level of education with particular focus on early grade literacy and the construction of seed secondary schools, saying those students will grow and become tomorrow’s young adults saying they have a special interest in their ability to become productive citizens through post secondary education.
He said :” the U.S. government is honored to work alongside you to design and implement innovation solutions for more effective market relevant courses and programs, support students on their academic journey and foster greater connections between research on campuses, businesses and entrepreneurs who will grow the Malawi’s economy.”
On her sentiment deputy minister of education Nancy Chaola Mdooko said the project will benefit Malawians youth when the country is implementing national blueprint which is Malawi 2063 through enabler number five that highlight human capital development which will realise the Malawi that people want in 2063.
” And I believe together as Malawians we can, we will and we shall, if we believe in African icon Nelson Mandela who said education is a key and the only change in the world.” She pointed out.
On his remarks Chief of Party of the Transforming higher Education in Systems in Malawi Project Tasokwa Kapota Chibowa said the main importance of the project is to increase access to the marginalise youth who come from rural areas, ultra poor, and community day secondary school saying they have challenges in accessing high education because in community day secondary school they don’t do science subjects and others from ultra poor they cannot afford to send their kids to university.
She said : ” so this what the project will do apart from other innovation, is to provide scholarships to such students that are not able to access higher education and for the students that are in community day secondary school we are going to offer bridging programs, so if they have strong credit in sciences they will go into bridging course, so that they can be accepted into higher education institutions.”
The Transforming Higher Education Systems Project will run for five years and the United States government has invested $17 million about K18 billion through the partnership of Malawi government and the Michigan State University of United States of America.
