Mzuzu Mining School opens July 1

Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (Teveta) has announced that Mzuzu Mining School will commence classes on July 1.

The school is a brainchild of the Gemstones Association of Malawi (Gam), Teveta, Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining as well as Malawi Women in Mining Association (Mawima).

The institution target youths from Mzimba so that they should have expertise and knowledge in the extractive industry due to the presence of minerals in the area.

In an interview on Thursday, Teveta regional service centre manager (North) Conceptor Kachoka said they are set to open doors on July 1.

“Everything is in place. We will start with a cohort of 20 students and we plan to have the official launch of the programme during the second cohort set to begin early next year,” she said.

Kachoka said classes will start with gemstone-related topics and later expand to other branches of mining.

“At the end of the course, students will be given a certificate of attendance. What is more important is the skill that they will get. You should know that we have other extractives like coal but we will first start with gemstone and the other courses will be incorporated later,” said Kachoka.

In an earlier interview, Gam secretary general Ian Petros Mbewe noted the area has many minerals but its people do not have expertise in mining.

“We want our youths to understand the philosophy of mining, they have to grow with that knowledge and help develop the district using the gemstones,” he said.

The first intake of students will not pay fees, according to Mbewe. n