CSEC to implement Malawi Inclusive Digital Transformation Advocacy in Dowa

By Vincent Gunde

Duncan Chirwa the project will advocate for inclusive digital transformation

The Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) will implement a one year “Malawi Inclusive Digital Transformation Advocacy Project” in the two districts of the country, Dowa and Mulanje targeting 10 schools per district of which 5 are under BeFIT and 5 non-BeFIT and they will be provided with supplementary readers books within one year period.

In September, 2022 the Government of Malawi made a commitment to transform the education sector and technology as one of its priority areas after Covid-19 pandemic, cholera and Cyclone Freddy for learning to continue whether there’s emergency or not.

In Dowa, the project will support 10 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs}, youth participation in policy spaces such as Local Education Group, Technical Working Group, Sector Working Group, Joint Sector Review and District executive committee (Dec).

Introducing the project to the District executive committee in Dowa, CSEC’s Project Officer Duncan Chirwa, said the project will strengthen civil society and youth participation and influence in policy spaces for inclusive education in digital transformation.

Chirwa said the project has the objective of seeking to strengthen civil society advocacy for inclusive digital skills transformation in Malawi’s education skills saying it will train 4 youth clubs, Education Technical Champions, District Education Networks, and 21 school committees in 10 schools supporting and building the capacity of 30 community or school governance structures such as School Management Committees, Mother Groups and Parent-Teacher Associations.

He said the project will conduct online social media campaigns using Education Technology through social media handles and organizing two community radio programmes as well as publication of the news articles both online and print.

The officer said the project will train School Management Committees and community leaders in citizen led monitoring on citizen perceptions on digital education and conducting community interface meetings with the findings of the citizen monitoring.

“National level youth engagement meeting on Education Technology and parliamentary engagement meeting on 2024/2025 national budget analysis and investment in Education Technology,” said Chirwa.
He said CSEC in partnership with United Kingdom (UK) based Charity Aid International will provide books to 10 schools on yearly basis in primary and Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSS) for 5 years working hand in hand with the District Education Youth and Sports (DEYS).

Dowa District Education Sports Officer MacMillan Maziya, said the project will build reading culture in Malawi through supplementary reading materials to learners in primary schools and students in secondary schools saying in some books, the topics are relevant to the curriculum.

In his remarks, Acting District Director of Agriculture for Dowa Martin Kamlomo, welcomed the project into the district advising CSEC to provide to Dec progress reports for the project to enhance cooperation, transparency and accountability.

CSEC will implement Malawi Inclusive Digital Transformation Advocacy project with a total budget of 100,000 Euros (approximately K183 million) for two districts Dowa and Mulanje, Dowa has K80 million for one year period, the funds are from GIZ through Global Campaign for Education (GCE).