Japan gives Malawi K4bn for TTC
Japan and Malawi on Thursday signed a grant agreement worth $11.2 million (about K4 billion) for the construction of a teacher training college (TCC) for secondary school teachers in the capital, Lilongwe.
Japanese Ambassador to Malawi Fujio Samukawa and Finance Minister Ken Lipenga exchanged notes for the agreement at a function held at Capital Hill in Lilongwe.
Samukawa said in February 2011, Japan commissioned a survey whose results fed into the development of a concept of the project to construct a teacher training college in Lilongwe.
The ambassador said the purpose of the project is to construct and equip facilities for the establishment of a new teacher training college, which is to provide a three-year diploma programme, pre-service education and training diploma course, among others.
“It is envisaged that the newly constructed training college will increase the number of qualified secondary schoolteachers in Malawi,” he said.
He assured that Japan will continue to support similar initiatives to improve access to education in Malawi.
Samukawa recalled that just recently, Japan supported various projects such as the Project for Strengthening of Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education (Smasse) and project for reconstruction and expansion of selected community day secondary schools in the country.
On his part, Lipenga hailed Japan for the financial assistance which he said will help address the shortage of teachers prevailing in the country.
