Private education should complement government efforts

By Ireen Kayira – Mana.

Action Aid has said Private Schools that provide private education should aim at complementing government efforts in education.

This was said in Lilongwe during the launch of Private Education and Compliance with Abidjan Principles report on Thursday.

Speaking with Malawi News Agency (MANA) in Lilongwe, Executive Director for Action Aid Assan Golowa said Private School shouldn’t be more on business but rather they should aim at helping government in improving education in the country.

“We see a few that are more into business than providing education service to the country as such  let’s make sure that as we embark on private education we should make sure that we abide by the basic principles that focuses on quality education process,” he said.

Golowa said the report was relevant to Malawian context because the country has a blossoming private education system as such government and stakeholders need to regulate and see if it is contributing to the quality of education.

He said government is signatory to the Abidjan principles and what Actionaid was doing was to work with government to ensure that provisions of the Abidjan document are adhered as government is implementing its educational activities.

“We work closely with government at all levels to ensure that as they design and implement interventions around education they are abiding by the principles in the Abidjan document,” the Executive Director said.

Director of Policy and Planning in the Ministry of Education Science and Technology, Dr Rodwell Mzonde said the report would solicit discussions of the state obligation on the provision of free public education for all.

“The report will help government to ensure that there is enough sustainable revenue to adequately finance free quality education for all children through collection progressive forms of taxation and tackling of tax evasion and avoidance,” he said. 

Mzonde said government was committed to regulating and monitoring all private schools, public and private partnerships to ensure that they comply with applicable human rights law and standards

“We will strictly observe all substantive, procedural and operational requirements for the realization of the rights to equality in the enjoyment of the rights to education,” he said.

Mana/ick/tha