Technical College Principals have agreed to work on building productive relationship with the industry in order for their institutions to be training skilled workforce corresponding to industry needs.

This has been established through a peer-to-peer visit that STEP has been facilitating and supporting in three regions of the country – Malawi in the month of March, 2018.

STEP organised the peer-to-peer visits  so that principals from Community Technical Colleges and Skills Development Centres can appreciate how other institutions are run with reference to being private or grant-aided.

According to principal for DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School Mr Augustus Kaliyati whose institution was hosting the southern region visit, Principals have a big role in making sure the curriculum is delivered well by emphasizing on quality output through proper practical sessions so that the students graduate with suitable skills.

“Do not relax, make sure the students are concentrating on their studies, be committed and have passion for the colleges.

And to end the “half-baked” graduates let’s be in close contact with the industry so that they can be updating us on latest technology even if it is outside the curriculum and we should make every effort to produce competent technicians for the industry” said Kaliyati.

He assured fellow principals that the base of increase in exports of Malawi is the vocational skill therefore they need not to take their role lightly.

Speaking on a separate visit that took place in the Northern region at Mzuzu technical college, one of the visiting principals, Mr Glyn Nyirongo of Ngara Community College appreciated the arrangement saying it has been an eye opener to them as managers of institutions.

Nyirongo said the idea of choosing Mzuzu Technical College was perfect as it is an appropriate model to the community technical colleges and the community skills development centres in the region.

Mr Glyn Nyirongo – Principal for Ngara Community Technical Colllege

“We have been inspired through this peer-to-peer visit, we have learned a lot especially on the direction we need to take in running the institutions and we are anticipating a great improvement as we will be applying the skills and ideas that we have been sharing throughout the session” said Nyirongo.

During the visits in all the regions, principals commended STEP for coming up with the idea and implementing it and suggested for a continuation of the arrangement on a regular basis.

In his remarks, TVET Institutions Management Specialist for STEP Mr. Todini Marecha expressed satisfaction on the principal’s reception of the idea which was also initially accepted by the Ministry of Youth Sports and Manpower Development. He said from what has transpired from the visits, it is clear that principals would like to learn from each other and that there is need for more of such activities.

Mzuzu Technical College, DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School and Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute were the hosts in the northern region, southern region and central region respectively.