Minister of Education, Bright Msaka, has called for strengthened collaboration with Astria Learning to accelerate the introduction of Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) in secondary schools as the government rolls out free secondary education.
Msaka made the remarks at Capital Hill in Lilongwe during a meeting with officials from Astria Learning, a global provider of higher-education online learning solutions. He said integrating ODeL into secondary education would help the government accommodate the increasing number of learners seeking places under the free education policy.
“We need innovative ways of expanding access, and ODeL provides an opportunity for us to reach more learners without the limitation of physical space,” said Msaka.
Astria Learning Chief Executive Officer, Sande Ngalande, welcomed the proposal, describing it as a timely intervention that aligns with the needs of modern education systems.
“There is not enough learning space for every government in Africa,” Ngalande said. “Introducing e-learning and digital technologies at secondary and primary school levels will significantly increase access to tertiary education in the long run. We will take this proposal seriously.”
The meeting forms part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships aimed at improving access, quality, and innovation in Malawi’s education sector.
