MALAWI: Catholic University Alumni Geared to Improve Special Needs Education

Luke Bisani

The Catholic University of Malawi Alumni from the central region of the country have disclosed a commitment to help improve special needs education through supporting the University in buying materials for the Skills Laboratory that will be used by students trained for special needs.

At their second Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Lilongwe at Our Lady of Africa Conference Centre on Saturday last week, members of the Central Region Chapter for the Catholic University of Malawi alumni resolved to support the University in buying some materials for the Skills Laboratory.

Chairperson of the Chapter Nohara Chinguwo disclosed that the support will boost the University’s capacity in delivering quality special needs education to students who are to help special needs learners in schools across the country.

“We have resolved that this year, we should assist the project that the University embarked on in buying materials for the special needs laboratory at the main campus in Nguludi. We understand that, through this, the University will help the country to have more qualified graduates who are to add up to inadequate numbers of special needs teachers in the country,” said Chinguwo.

Chinguwo added that shortly, the Chapter looks forward to helping students who require financial support for them to access quality education at the University.

He further added that the Chapter plans to join efforts of restoring nature, through planting trees and carrying out awareness campaigns on how people are to take good care of the trees.

“We see that each year, several stakeholders do come forth to plant trees in the company of the media for their publicity but after that, it ends like that. As a Chapter we want to have a different approach, after planting trees we want to see that these trees are under good care for their high survival rate,” he added.

The University management plans to have more equipment installed in the Skills Laboratory to ensure that more students have practical experience of using materials used to teach special needs students in the country.

Among the materials that the University plans to buy include, Embossers, Thermoform Machines: E-Z Form Thermoform 115 V/50/60 (Frame 11 x 11.5” lightweight) Plastic Foil Brailon in listing some buy a few.

The Catholic University of Malawi is the only institution of higher learning that offers Special Needs Programme to a Bachelor’s degree level in the country. The programme is aimed at equipping teachers, other professionals, communities, and other stakeholders with relevant knowledge, skills, and positive attitude through training and research to enhance quality service delivery to persons with special educational needs.

Established in 2006, the Catholic University of Malawi has been introducing programmes that demands of the people in Malawi to ensure equal opportunity to every citizen in the country. In 2021 the University introduced the first ever diploma in Adult Education and Development Programme that is offered only at the University in the country.