Malawi launches construction of five China-aided community colleges

Government launched the construction of five community technical colleges on Saturday in Traditional Authority Nkagula in Zomba which will be constructed across the country to the tune of K8.9 billion.

The technical colleges will be built under the China-Aided Project for Malawi Community Technical Colleges in Mzimba, Ntcheu, Zomba, Mulanje and Nsanje districts.

Speaking during the official laying of the Foundation Stone of Sakata Community Technical College in Zomba-Nsondole, Minister of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development, Grace Chiumia, said with the youth comprising about 70% of Malawi’s population, the only way to empower them was to train them in various skills.

The minister said that would enable them to be innovative, self-reliant and able to open their own entrepreneurships which would employ others as well, thus reducing unemployment in the country.

“The President realised the importance of implementing the agenda by providing necessary and relevant skills to the youth of Malawi through the introduction of the Community Technical Colleges Programme across the country,” she said.

Chiumia, therefore, commended the People’s Republic of China for complementing Malawi’s efforts of providing technical and entrepreneurial skills, especially to the out-of-school and the vulnerable youth to make them useful citizens.

12 community technical colleges have already been established in the first phase of the programme and are operational. Several youths have already graduated from these community colleges.

In his remarks, Counsellor Liu Guoyu of the Chinese Embassy in Malawi highlighted the agreement made between Malawi and the People’s Republic of China to invest in the youth which he described as key to Malawi’s transformation.

The colleges will have practice workshops, ordinary classrooms, offices, equipment rooms, library, catering rooms, distribution and fire control rooms and porters’ lodge, and a parking post among other exterior components.

Once complete, the colleges will offer welding skills, computer technology, sewing, bricklaying, plumbing and carpentry.