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Government will soon summon a national conference to review the education policy in order to establish the kind of education Malawi needs in this century.
Education Minister Yusuf Mwawa said in the National Assembly on Thursday he will give more details on the conference when he makes a statement before the current sitting comes to an end.
“We will invite all stakeholders including members of Parliament to discuss and decide what kind of education this country needs in the 21st century,” said Mwawa.
He said the conference will have to discuss the modifications that need to be brought to the country’s education if necessary.
“We want the conference to decide whether we have to bring back boarding schools or not, for example,” said Mwawa.
“We want the conference to tell whether we must continue community day secondary schools or not,” he added.
“We want to find out how conventional secondary schools must be run,” said Mwawa.
The education minister added the conference will also need to see how communities and parents can assist government in the provision of learning materials in schools.
“With the current budget it is not possible that government can provide all the requirements in schools,” said Mwawa.
Dedza South West MP Kate Kainja queried the minister if he knew that provision of teaching and learning materials fell under pro-poor expenditure, and that HIPC funds were just lying “phwii” (idle) in his ministry.
Mwawa said he was aware.
“But these expenditures are not approved by the Minister of Education, but Parliament. Our budget last time was K1.8 billion for the purpose but this House only approved K4 million,” he said.
Meanwhile government has procured about 21 ambulances for distribution for areas in desperate need for transport.
“The vehicles will come in October. We know they are not adequate, that is why we will distribute them evenly across the political divide and on the most desperate situation basis,” said Deputy Health Minister Frank Mwenifumbo.
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