The Catholic University of Malawi (CUNIMA) with technical and financial support from DVV International has launched the first ever third level course for adult educators aimed at contributing to the professionalization and enhancing the capacity of the Adult Learning and Education (ALE) sector in Malawi. The official launch took place on 25th March 2021 at CUNIMA campus in Malawi’s Chiradzulu District.
The diploma course in Adult Education and Development has been launched after extensive discussions with stakeholders between 2017 and 2020.
Speaking during the launch, Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati, emphasized the important contribution of the new course to the strengthening of the ALE sector in Malawi.
She encouraged CUNIMA to expand the course to degree level in the future. “I expect other colleges, for example Chancellor College in Zomba and others to emulate this development by introducing similar courses,” said Kaliati.
The Diploma programme is the first of its kind to offer a career path in the field of ALE in Malawi as there were previously no higher education institutions offering such courses.
Many government employees working in the field of ALE do not possess any specific qualification in this field, with most being trained in community development or other related fields. Previously, those wishing to enhance their skills and knowledge of ALE, had little choice but study abroad, an option that has not always been feasible.
The Director of Academic Affairs at CUNIMA, Rev. Fr. Dr. Wilfred Sumani (SJ), said that the new course will propel the field of adult in a new trajectory.
“One of the important characteristics of the new diploma programme is its interdisciplinarity. Though it is a diploma in education, it is housed in the faculty of social sciences comprised of economics, anthropology, sociology, communication development studies, political leadership and social work,” said Sumani.
According to DVV International Regional Director for Southern Africa, David Harrington, the qualification will help prepare adult education practitioners at levels to function as effective and autonomous adult education professionals capable of making strategic choices in relation to facilitation, material development, assessment and selection of programmes.
DVV International believes that as repositories of vast amounts of knowledge and possessing abundant human resources trained in multiple disciplines, third level institutions in Malawi can play a vital and impactful role in enhancing the capacity of the ALE sector
Interested candidates must have a Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) with credit passes in six subjects including English to qualify for the course, which is hosted at CUNIMA’s Montfort campus at Nguludi in Chiradzulu.
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