Minister of Education, Science and Technology Hon. Bright Msaka SC has urged public education institutions to ensure that the implementation of public sector reforms translates into improved institutional performance, accountability and service delivery to Malawians.

The Minister said this on Tuesday in Blantyre during the signing of public sector reform commitments by the University of Malawi, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Malawi University of Science and Technology, Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), Malawi Institute of Education (MIE) and Malawi National Examinations Board.

He said the reforms are particularly important in the education sector because universities and teacher education institutions play a central role in human capital development, research, innovation, skills development and knowledge production.

Msaka said each institution had identified reforms suited to its mandate and circumstances and, by signing the commitments, was taking responsibility for implementing the agreed reforms and strengthening its contribution to national development.

He further said successful implementation of the reforms requires the commitment of institutional councils and boards, management, academic and non-academic staff, students and other stakeholders.

The Minister said the success of the reforms should ultimately be measured by improvements in institutional performance and services delivered to citizens, rather than the number of meetings held, policies developed or reports produced.

Vice Chancellor for MUBAS Associate Professor Nancy Chitera said among the institution’s interventions include expanding alternative modes of learning, introducing dual student intake among others .

She said the interventions are intended to enable MUBAS to accommodate more students while making more efficient use of its available resources and improving the delivery of academic programmes.

She added that the reforms will help expand the institution’s resource base, strengthen investment and resource management systems, reduce operational costs and increase financial resources mobilised by the institution.

The Executive Director of MIE Jennings Kayira said one of the reform areas in his institution falls under human capital development where institution is doing curriculam reviews inorder to provide deeper and more relevant learning in schools and equipping learners with skills that respond to the changing needs of society.

He said the reform seeks to align the curriculum with global, regional and national policy frameworks while making it more responsive to national education standards and teacher training standards.