By James Kanyenda

Lilongwe, January 27, MANA: Minister of Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima has expressed optimism that the newly graduated specialist teachers will add value to the country’s education.

Speaking Saturday at Montfort Special Needs Education College during the graduation of 143 specialist teachers who have been awarded Diplomas in Special Needs education, Wirima said the skills acquired by the teachers would assist them in managing learners with diverse learning needs.

“Today, many countries in the world are moving towards inclusion aimed at achieving Education for All (EFA) and Sustainable Development Goal Number 4 that advocates for inclusive education, which is in line with the Malawi 2063 Agenda,” said the minister.

She added that government, under the leadership of Dr Lazarus Chakwera through Ministry of Education is geared to implement the Malawi 2063 agenda by producing high performing professional public service providers through different colleges and what Montfort Special Needs Education College is doing is in line with this quest.

The minister also advised the graduates to continue studying, learn from well experienced teachers in the field for them to keep abreast with the field and become effective and efficient specialist teachers.

Wirima acknowledged challenges encountered in the provision of quality special needs and inclusive education such as inadequate teachers, specialized teaching, learning and assessment resources as well as resource Centre’s, special and vocational training schools.

“On these issues, my ministry is critically looking into strategies to employ in order to provide all the best needed in the system. On the issue of resources my ministry budgets for procurement of specialized teaching and learning resources for learners with diverse needs and this budget keeps on increasing.

In the past years my ministry has procured Braille papers, embossing papers, Audiometers, Embossers, Perkins braille’s Desk Top Computers, Printers, Projectors, Wheelchairs just to mention a few, on budget for the materials, the current administration found it at K200 million for a financial year and as of now it’s at K650 million and for the 2024/25 fiscal year it will be revised upwards to a billion,” she added.

She said government remains committed to seeing an increase in number of specialist teachers citing government’s sponsorship of Certificate course in Inclusive Education and Diploma in Special Needs Education at Montfort College as well as introduction of Diploma Course in Inclusive Education at Machinga Teacher Training College in 2020.

Speaking earlier, Acting Principal for Montfort Special Needs Education, Soraya Manansala Kalawao said they are geared to provide quality training programs in special needs and inclusive education for the betterment of learners with diverse educational needs, despite some shortfalls.

She thanked government through the ministry of education for fully funding their programs