Ministry of Education and its collaborating sector and development partners are set to convene for the 2022 Education Joint Sector Review (JSR) meeting, which will be held in Lilongwe from 9th to 10th November under the theme: Transforming Education for Accelerated Human Capital Development Towards Achieving Malawi 2063.
Held annually, the education JSR draws together various stakeholder groups in the education sector to objectively assess the performance of the sector and its priority programs and policies.
The review meeting also aims to align the results of the sector programs with the goals and strategies of the government as reflected in the Malawi 2063 and its first 10 years implementation plan (MIP 1).
Secretary for Education, Chikondano Mussa, described the 2022 JSR theme as befitting, considering that Malawi just started implementing Malawi 2063 whose achievements will very much depend on accelerated human capital development.
"However, accelerated human capital development can only be achieved with transformative education.
"The Malawi 2063 (MW2063) outlines the overall vision and aspirations of the Malawi nation. It envisages a youth-centric inclusive wealth creating and self-reliant nation by 2063.
"For this ambition to become reality, it will profoundly rely on the performance of the education sector," said Mussa.
Renowned education activist, Benedicto Kondowe, said the forthcoming JSR meeting affords stakeholders the opportunity to selflessly reflect on the status of education against the aspirations of the nation.
"It is a critical platform that we are having. We hope that all stakeholders will be honest and sincere in their reflection so that we come up with some action points that speak to how best we can restore our education.
"Our education system is on the verge of collapse. This is not only a threat to human capital development but also to ensuring that we grow the literacy rate in the country.
"Otherwise high illiteracy does significantly contribute towards increased poverty and all other social issues that are associated with society in that particular state," said Kondowe, who is also the Executive Director for Civil Society Education Coalition.
According to Ministry of Education, the JSR is done within the framework of the 2005 Paris Declarations on Aid Effectiveness and within the tenets of mutual accountability amongst partners.
Each year, the ministry makes a presentation of the Education Sector Performance Report (ESPR).
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The report aims to provide an overview of the progress made in the implementation of the education sector's goals and strategies under the National Education Sector Investment Plan (NESIP 2020-2030).
The ESPR for 2022 highlights, among others, the achievements of the 2021/2022 financial year. The report will allow stakeholders to make recommendations on how to improve the education sector's performance.
Each education JSR is immediately followed by a high-level meeting of the Minister of Education and heads of development partners in education, with the meeting for this year scheduled for 11th November.
This provides a platform for dialogue on education sector achievements and challenges. Major recommendations from the JSR are also discussed.
Minister of Education, Agnes NyaLonje, will be the guest of honour at the 2022 JSR and will officially open the meeting. The key note speaker on the theme is Professor Joseph Chimombo, Vice Chancellor of Nkhoma University.
