Minister of Information launches TTC ICT Support Initiative for inclusive IT

By Evance Chisiano

Ministry of Information and Digitalisation in collaboration with Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority on Thursday launched TTC ICT Support Initiative (Connect A- TTC) at Phalombe Teachers Training College where minister responsible Moses Kunkuyu also handed over 15 desk top computers to promote quality teacher education.

He said Ministry of Information is responding to Malawi’s need for inclusive digitisation across the country with the desire to provide internet access to schools and colleges to ensure students and academic staff do internet research for academic information.

“Government is committed to roll out digitalisation to schools and other public places to ensure digital inclusiveness for all,” Kunkuyu said

Before launching TTC ICT Support Initiative, Kunkuyu, Minister of Education  Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima and Macra director General Daud Suleman visited Phalombe Secondary School and Phalombe Teachers Training College computer libraries to appreciate the ICT literacy among students.

In his speech Kunkuyu said the launch of TTC ICT Support Initiative and Connect a School project was a move in the right direction towards Malawi’s technological advancement

Kunkuyu said Ministry of information and Digitalisation and Macra will continue providing computers and other ICT infrastructures to secondary schools and tertiary instructions to make Malawi a sound ICT advanced nation.

Receiving the computers on behalf of the two institutions, the education minister said the computers were key in the TTC ITC Support Initiative and Connect a School project and commended Ministry of Information and Digitalisation and Macra for advancing ICT in the education system.

She added that the desktop computers are catalysts for innovation apart from being devices that will help to education institutions to integrate ICT in their teaching methodology.

“This government will continue to invest in education, we are here to digitise the education sector for blended livelihood,” said Wirima.

She therefore hailed Ministry of Information and Digitalisation and Ministry of Education collaboration as important describing it as a milestone and beginning of innovation and excellence in the technological era.

Phalombe Teachers Training College, acting Principal, Carolyne Malowa Chirwa assured Ministry of Information and digitisation  that the 15 donated desktop computers will be taken care of to ensure that future cohort of students use them to advance their ICT knowledge.

“We will embrace the technology and we will ensure that the computers are well taken care of, so that other students should use them,” Chirwa added.

Macra Director General, Daud Suleman said Macra was established to offer equal access to ICT devices to primary, secondary and tertiary education through Connect to a School Project, TTC ICT Support Initiative and other project in colleges to ensure that all education institutions are provided with computers and connected to internet.

He hailed the National Digital Policy for facilitating internet connectivity in education and other sectors

One of the students, Chikumbutso Lamwada also hailed Ministry of Information and Digitalisation and Macra for the TTC ICT Support Initiative and Connect a School project, saying this will improve computer literacy and open up internet connectivity in the education institutions.