By Thandie Chadzandiyani
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Government is now ready to roll out Adult Learning and Education Management Information System (ALEMIS) following DVV International’s handover of ICT equipment amounting to MK24 million.
The donated ICT materials are expected to promote Management Information System (MIS) for Adult Learning and Education (ALE) and Integrated Adult Education (IAE) in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare.
The ICT materials including tablets, desk top computers and printers.
The handover of the ICT materials means Malawi Government will now start collecting ALE related data electronically, unlike in the past when it was doing it physically at community and district levels.
This will also enable data to consistently and quickly reach National Centre for Literacy and Adult Education (NACLAE) at the central level, where it can be analysed and used to monitor, strengthen and improve programmes.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Isaac Katopola said ALEMIS is a milestone in ALE sector.
Katopla said: “This ALEMIS is a great milestone in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare in general and at NACLAE in particular.
“This online platform will improve timely transmission and ensure that credible data is available for improved programming in the Adult Literacy/Learning and Education sector. I thank DVV International for this support.”
According to Katopola, the ALEMIS will potentially add value to the ALE Monitoring and Evaluation system.
DVV International has been supporting the Ministry since 2017 when it opened doors in Malawi having previously provided similar support to Mozambique and South African governments.
The previous DVV International’s support include procurement of ICT equipment for administrative purposes at NACLAE, procurement of over 60,000 adult literacy Chuma ndi moyo primers which were distributed to the 9,633 National Adult Literacy Programme adult literacy classes, development of the first ever National Adult Literacy Policy which was approved by Cabinet in February 2020 and currently the development of the National Adult Literacy and Education Strategy currently pending approval by the Ministry’s management.
DVV International Regional Director for Southern Africa, David Harrington said donated equipment will help the adult education sector.
Harrington said DVV International which is funded by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), will continue supporting Malawi Government.
Harrington bemoaned poor funding towards ALE in Malawi. He therefore called upon stakeholders to lobby and advocate for increased funding.
The ICT donation comes on top of over MK40 million investments in ALEMIS which included hiring of the consultant to develop the MIS and training of community development staff from the district level on how they can use MIS.
DVV International has been supporting NACLAE since 2017 when the former opened its doors in Malawi.
