Minister of Education, Science and Technology Honerable Bright Msaka, SC, has challenged education researchers and stakeholders to critically examine whether Malawi’s education system is adequately preparing citizens with the skills needed to navigate an increasingly uncertain future.
Msaka was speaking on Wednesday during the Domasi College of Education 2026 Research Dissemination Conference in Liwonde held under the theme Education for Sustainable Development: Building Skills for Malawi 2063.
The Minister said research should help the country answer fundamental questions about the purpose and direction of education, particularly whether the skills being developed today are relevant to the Malawi that the country aspires to build tomorrow.
He said Malawi must use research to assess what has worked in the past, what has not, and what lessons can be drawn from previous generations to shape an education system capable of preparing citizens for challenges that cannot yet be fully predicted.
Msaka said those responsible for developing human capital must ask themselves what skills Malawi needs to prepare its citizens for a better future and whether the current education system is providing those skills.
He said the country should also examine the extent to which previous education approaches have succeeded in preparing citizens for national development and whether lessons from those experiences have been adequately incorporated into the curriculum.
The Minister challenged researchers to go beyond generating knowledge and instead produce evidence that can guide decisions on what needs to change in the education system to make a meaningful difference in the country.
Msaka further urged education stakeholders to reflect on what education is doing to shape the country and how lessons from previous generations can be used to improve the education system for future generations.
Keynote speaker at the conference Associate Professor , DR. Chikumbutso Herbert Manthalu said Malawi can not achieve the aspirations of the Malawi 2063 development agenda without a strong education system, arguing that education underpins many of the country’s development enablers.
Manthalu said education institutions, including universities, should ensure that what they teach is relevant and makes sense to the people being trained, particularly in relation to the needs of the country.
He challenged educators and researchers to examine the habits that the education system is cultivating among learners, including whether it is encouraging innovation, critical thinking and the development of the right mindset needed to transform Malawi.
He also called for greater reflection on the curricula being developed, saying education should not only provide knowledge and skills but should also deliberately cultivate the values and attitudes that citizens need to contribute to national development.
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