The following areas are meant to guide the consultation process:

1. Curriculum Reform

This sub-them covers problems and challenges in curriculum reform and their solutions at all levels of the educational ladder namely:

• Pre-school
• Primary school
• Secondary school
• Vocational and Technical Education
• Higher Education

The current curriculum at the primary and secondary school level, for example, has not incorporated knowledge, skills and values which can produce human resources for both white-collar and blue-collar jobs while at the same time producing self employers/entrepreneurs.

The primary and secondary school curricula offers academic knowledge and skills to learners but does not fully equip learners with technical, vocational and entrepreneurship skills. In addition, certain areas of study or subjects addressing socio-economic development and industrial growth issues are not adequately covered or indeed missing. Subjects such as the sciences, Mathematics are not well covered from both a content and methodology perspective resulting to poor acquisition in knowledge and skills.

Few schools offer computer education, information, Communication and Technology (ICT) and Commerce, which are very important for both individuals and the nation to achieve and sustain economic growth. The question which should therefore be asked is: what should be done to ensure that proper emphasis is put on Science, English, Mathematics, ICT and other subjects?

In summary, the relevance, adequacy, appropriateness and responsiveness of the curriculum to the needs of learners and society for the social, economic and scientific development of the country is at issue.

2. Assessment and Evaluation

Under this area, the conference should deliberate on assessment and evaluation process and procedures, problems and challenges being faced currently with a view to finding comprehensive and forward looking solution.

This area should address two interrelated forms of assessment:

• Continuous assessment at the school or college. The workshop should discuss and come up with best practices for continuous assessment and how the results of continuous assessment can possibly contribute to the assessment of learners competitor.

• Examinations that learners take at the end of the primary, secondary and primary teachers’ college level.

• The workshop should make critical decisions with regard to the way Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education, Junior Certificate of Education and Malawi School Certificate are proceed and administered. In addition the workshop should decide on relevant of the Junior Certificate of Education. The question is: Should we continue examining students at the end of Form 2?

3. Management of Education

The quality of education also hinges on how well education sector is managed.

This area should holistically cover problems and challenges in the management of education in Malawi at:

• Primary
• Secondary
• Higher Education levels

It should also address management issues at:

• Headquarters
• Division
• District
• Zonal
• Cluster levels

In connection with the above, the decentralization or devolution the education system should be discussed by looking, addressing the challenges, problems and prospects.

In addition, the long standing issues of splitting the Ministry of Education into two:

• Basic Education
• Tertiary and Higher Education

And the consolidation of other functions of the ministry now under other line ministries should be addressed.

Other distinct areas of management that could be deliberated on are:

• Planning
This could address budgeting, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, and decision analysis and making processes.

• Inspection, Supervision and advisory services.

This could include:

- Budgeting, monitoring and evaluation process
- Inspection, supervision and advisory services.

4. Adult and Continuing Education, and special Needs Education

This area covers two areas:

• Adult and continuing Education
• Special needs Education

5. Cross-cutting Issues

These can include

• HIV/AIDS and its impact on the delivery of education
• Environmental Education
• Gender Issues
• Out-of-school youth
• Education of vulnerable children
• Guidance and Counselling

National-Education-Conference-papers