LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-National Planning Commission (NPC) intends to carry skills labour audit for policy direction.
NPC Director General Dr. Thomas Munthali told The Maravi Post that the audit will help the commission to know much labour force Malawi has that institution of higher learning must integrate their course programing.
Munthali was speaking on Tuesday, November 23, 2022 during the sidelines of 3rd International Conference on Higher Education at Malawi Institute of Management (MIM) in the capital Lilongwe.
Universities and Colleges Association of Malawi (UCAM) has organised the two day conference.
“We need to help higher learning institution on what exactly skills labour programs can be integrated for also possible direction,” said Munthali.
UCAM President Sharon Pittman expected the gathering to tackle challenges higher learning institutions are facing amid economic melt down.
“We have had two international conferences this far: one in June 2018 and the second also in June 2021. Both of these Conferences run on the same theme: Higher Education in the 21st Century. Major debates were around quality and quality assurance; governance; financing; access and equity,” says Pittman.
Echoing on the same Minister of Education, Agnes Nyalonje said, “This year’s conference is unique as it takes a 90o departure to the right as it wishes to address the Malawi we want by 2063.
“In my address at the opening of the 2nd International Conference last year, I did remind universities and colleges of the critical role they ought to play for Malawi to realize its vision 2063 – particularly on growth sectors that need support from institutions of higher learning in order to build the required human capital to drive the economy towards the realization of that vision.
Minister of Education, Agnes Nyalonje however complained that Malawi continues to lose out due to a less vibrant knowledge based economy considered a key component of the wealth creation agenda.
Nyalonje challenged that unless loopholes in the education system are fixed, the country can not see the realisation of the MW2063 agenda.
Under the theme, “Universities and Colleges as drivers of knowledge-based economy in implementing Malawi 2063 vision”, the conference has attracted both local and international academicians
