By Elywin Chighali Mhango
The Teacher’s Council of Malawi held a press briefing at its headquarters in Lilongwe to update the public on the progress of teacher registration and licensing within the Ministry of Education. Established through the Education Act in 2013, the council has made significant strides since the appointment of its board members in 2023.
As of now, a total of 93,372 teachers have applied for registration, with 76,003 registration certificates already distributed. This week alone, the Council printed 5,232 certificates, while an additional 12,137 certificates remain pending distribution. The council has implemented a dual registration process to accommodate the varying levels of internet proficiency among teachers—56,024 teachers registered manually, while 37,348 used the online system. In terms of licensing, manual registrations accounted for 28,850, compared to 13,994 online registrations.
Grace Mphandamkoko, Registrar for the Teacher’s Council of Malawi, stated that the council is committed to registering all categories of educators, including early childhood, primary, secondary school teachers, and lecturers. However, the manual registration process poses challenges, as data clerks must enter the information into the system, leading to delays in licensing.
The council is also implementing a teacher tracking system to effectively monitor the registration and licensing status of teachers. Recent advancements, including the acquisition of a new server, have alleviated online congestion, facilitating a smoother registration process.
Professor Golden Msilimba, Director of Quality Assurance in the Ministry of Education, emphasized that District Education Offices are actively involved in bridging the technology gap. ZEMISO (Zonal Education Management Information System Officers) are providing training to teachers on internet use, ensuring they can access their information on the council’s registration portal.
The Teacher’s Council of Malawi is dedicated to improving the registration and licensing processes for teachers, working steadily towards fully accommodating the educational needs of professionals across the nation.