The Mandate for DTED is to “To promote, regulate, coordinate, and monitor pre-service and in-service activities for primary and secondary school teachers and teacher educators in Malawi”.

KEY FUNCTIONS OF DTED

Functions: In-Service Division

1. Develop and deliver in-service training programs to improve teachers' skills and knowledge

2. Evaluate the effectiveness of in-service training programs to ensure they meet teachers' needs

3. Develop and disseminate teaching and learning materials to support in-service training programs

4. Provide support and guidance to teachers who participate in the programs

5. Collaborate with education stakeholders to align in-service training with national policies and goals.

Functions: Pre-Service Division

1. Develop and review pre-service teacher education curricula

2. Certify teacher training institutions to ensure quality education

3. Select qualified students for pre-service teacher education programmes

4. Support professional development of pre-service teacher educators

5. Conduct assessments and examinations to ensure standards are met

6. Provide guidance and counselling to pre-service teacher education students

7. Coordinates secondary education through the Deans Forum, with the aim of standardizing Teaching Practice Evaluation forms and implementing CPD using Chief Examiner's reports

Strategic Objectives

1. To ensure that the Ministry creates sufficient learning space to keep up with education sector needs in Teacher Education Institutions;

2. To provide quality and relevant teacher training, including Continuous Professional Development;

3. To strengthening governance and management of Teacher Education

Recent accomplishments

1. Strengthening Mathematics And Science Education (SMASSE) is training approximately 4,500 mathematics and science secondary teachers across Malawi

2. Malawi Education Reform Programme (MERP), conducted a School Leadership Program (SLP) which trained 10,352 primary school leaders. The program concluded in December 2025.

DTED Reform Areas

The main reform area for the Directorate is: “Introduction of diploma and degree programmes for Primary school Education in TTCs by 2027.

Currently, Diploma and Degree curriculum is being developed by the Malawi Institute of

Education.

Additionally, to expand the provision of Special Needs Education, by 2029, Machinga TTC shall be turned into a specialist training college to provide comprehensive training programs.

OUR MAIN STAKEHOLDERS

DTED works with key stakeholders such as

• DQAS-Directorate of Quality Assurance for quality assurance of teacher education and development programmes.

• DBE- Directorate of Basic Education which utilizes the trained primary school teachers,

• DSE-Directorate of Secondary Education through provision of professional development to secondary school teachers

• MIE-Malawi Institute of Education for development of teacher education curriculum

• MANEB- Malawi Examinations Board for examination and initial certification of primary school teachers through the Primary Teacher Certificate of Education (PTCE).

• The Directorate operates on a national scale through 34 district CPD coordinators (primary sub-sector), 6 education division CPD coordinators (secondary sub-sector) for in-service professional development

• DTED trains pre-service primary school teachers through 19 (10 public, 9 private) teacher training colleges (TTCs)

OUR PERIODIC EVENTS

DTED conducts the following events and activities:

• World Teachers Day 1 - Annual, usually held in October

• Annual recruitment of students for the Initial Primary Teacher Education (IPTE) in public TTCs. This is done electronically with support from the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE)

• STEM training for secondary school teachers that cascades from national to divisional then institutional level.

PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS

1. UNICEF

2. Save the Children

3. European Union

4. World Bank