Education institutions urged to incorporate entrepreneurship in their curriculum programs

By Steven Godfrey Mkweteza…..

Education institutions in the country have been urged to consider incorporating entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology subjects in their teaching curriculum programs so as to narrow down the escalating unemployment gap and transform the economic status of the country.

The vice Chancellor for the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) professor Address Malata said this in Blantyre on Friday during the wealth creation conference which was organized by Sycamore Consult Limited.

Malata emphasized on the need for Malawians, most especially the youth to acquire the knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology at the the grassrootst level to create jobs and sustain their lives rather than waiting to be employed.

“It is a fact that the job market is shrinking. Therefore, education institutions must help in creating jobs by embedding entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology subjects in their curriculum programs,” she said.

According to her, many countries in the world have developed and transformed people’s livelihoods through the intensification of entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology programs at the grassroots levels.

”But look here in Malawi, we wait to equip the youth with this knowledge and skills when they are already grown or are in universities. This is slightly too late to change their mindset,” she said.

Malata further advised the prospective entrepreneurs to be resilient, honest, and hard workers to achieve their goals.

The vice Chancellor, who was the guest of honor at the conference, further asked universities and other schools of higher learning to open up and give space to the entrepreneurs who did not have a chance to go to school to reshape their knowledge and skills.

In a separate interview, Audrey Mwala, the chief executive officer for Sycamore Consult Limited said since her company initiated wealth creation programs in the country five years ago, the number of entrepreneurs in the country has significantly increased.

Mwala, who is also the founder of the firm, therefore said her firm is geared to continue with programs that are aimed at capacitating and providing advisory services on various topics to bridge the capacity gap and change the mindset of Malawians.

” We are happy so far to see the overwhelming response to our conferences and noticed a tremendous and practical change. This shows that many people are interested to know and transform their lives through the knowledge and skills that they acquire,” she said.

According to her, the country cannot achieve the 2063 agenda if the youth are not fully included in development activities such as wealth creation.

She however said wealth creation initiatives were not only for those out of employment or entrepreneurs but also those in employment, saying employment is a better way of starting creating wealth to use when one is retired.

Mwala explained that her company brought together various local business tycoons to share their experiences with participants during the conference. This approach aims to cultivate a culture of wealth creation in the country.

Julius Chinyama, from Zomba district, said he has been greatly transformed since he started attending the wealth creation forums.

He said he is now able to employ some people through his business which he started after attending the previous conferences.

” I’m now self-reliant through my business ventures and I know have any interest to be employed anywhere else,” he said.

Among others, the conference also attracted a list of guest and motivational speakers that included the owner of the Siku group of companies Abdul Rashid Munaf, Benedicto Berna Nkhoma, Stain Singo, pastor Emma Mwasinga, and Samuel Chiwanda.

Sycamore Consult Limited is one of the local capacity and advisory firms in the country.