LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Learners in both Secondary and tertiary levels have been challenged to use science in solving daily life struggles.
This will be achieved by developing syllabus that suits local needs not Western cultures.
The call was made on Wednesday, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Bright Msaka opened the 22nd Conference on Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (COMSTEDA-22) in the capital Lilongwe.
The conference comes as African nations are stepping forward to boldly claim their place as leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and innovation.
Msaka therefore reaffirmed the Malawi Government’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote research, innovation, and evidence-based policy development.
Msaka said the administration of President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika recognises education as the cornerstone of human capital development and the foundation for economic transformation.
“The forthcoming curriculum reforms mark a bold and progressive step towards reimagining education that is relevant, inclusive, and future-oriented,” he said.
He added that the transition from Outcome-Based Education (OBE) to Competency-Based Education (CBE) represents a paradigm shift focusing on what learners can do with knowledge rather than what they merely know.
The Minister further emphasised that Malawi’s new education framework is designed to nurture innovation, creativity, and problem-solving skills the essence of STEM education.
He described the reforms as a rethinking of education from knowledge acquisition to empowerment, aimed at producing citizens capable of driving Malawi’s transformation into an industrialised and knowledge-based economy, in line with Malawi Vision 2063 and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
President of Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE-Africa), Professor Benson Banda, called for the decolonisation of Africa’s STEM curriculum and the inclusion of indigenous knowledge systems to make education more relatable and empowering.
“Africa must not only adopt technologies but must invent them through innovation,” said Banda. “We must build confidence among our learners to face and solve real-world challenges,” said Banda.
The conference is under the theme; “Reimagining STEM for a Pan-African Future: Bridging Education, Innovation, and Sustainable Development towards Agenda 2063″.
The three day gathering has attracted delegates from more than 10 African countries, with 146 research papers presented by African scholars focusing on African challenges and solutions.
Hosting COMSTEDA for the first time, Malawi has positioned itself as a hub for educational transformation and collaboration in Africa.
The conference provides a vital platform for sharing knowledge, strengthening research networks, and promoting practical innovations across the continent.
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