The Principal Secretary for Administration in the Ministry of Education, Madam Thokozile Banda, has underscored the importance of strengthening teacher preparation as Malawi advances towards diploma and degree-level primary teacher education.
Speaking during the official opening of the Second Phase of the Refinement of Course Outlines for Primary Teacher Education at the Malawi Institute of Education (MIE), Madam Banda described quality teacher preparation as one of the country’s most strategic investments for improving educational outcomes and supporting national development.
“Educational quality depends on the quality of teachers, and the quality of teachers depends on the quality of their preparation,” she said, emphasizing the critical role the revised course outlines will play in producing competent and effective teachers.
The five-day workshop, running from 27 to 31 July, has brought together subject specialists from universities and teacher training colleges across Malawi to refine course outlines that will guide the training of future primary school teachers as the country transitions from certificate programmes to diploma and degree-level teacher education.
Speaking at the same event, MIE Acting Executive Director Mr. Jennings Kayira said the exercise goes beyond the development of curriculum documents.
“These are pedagogical documents built around three key pillars: content, pedagogy and assessment. They are designed to ensure that future teachers possess strong subject knowledge, effective teaching skills and the ability to assess learning outcomes,” he said.
Mr. Kayira also commended the Government of Malawi for its continued support towards curriculum review and reform initiatives, noting that the investment is essential for improving learning outcomes across the education sector.
The workshop built on the success of the first phase, during which 34 course outlines were developed and refined. Participants now have finalized an additional 19 course outlines, completing a comprehensive Primary Teacher Education package that will underpin Malawi’s transition to degree-based teacher preparation.
The initiative demonstrates a collective national commitment to building a stronger education system through high-quality teacher preparation. Once finalized, the course outlines will form the foundation for training a new generation of diploma and degree-qualified primary school teachers equipped with the knowledge, skills and competencies required for modern classrooms.