The initiative to integrate electricity education into Malawi’s national school curriculum is gaining significant momentum, with the Malawi Institute of Education (MIE) now transitioning to the syllabus development stage for both primary and secondary education.
This progress was highlighted during a curriculum development workshop held in Domasi, Zomba on Monday 16th February.
Organized by MIE, the session brought together key partner institutions, including the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) Limited, which is championing the inclusion of electrical safety, wayleave encroachment, and anti-vandalism themes into the classroom.
Speaking at the meeting, MIE National Primary Curriculum Coordinator, Ms. Katundulu, said the institution has successfully concluded the initiation stage of the reform process.
This phase involved auditing the existing curriculum and benchmarking it against education systems in Africa and beyond.
“At the level we are now, we are ready to roll out the new curriculum beginning with pre-primary education in September this year,” she said.
Katundulu explained that learners entering school under the new framework will continue using the revised curriculum throughout their education cycle, while those already in the system will remain on the current curriculum until it is gradually phased out.
The technical foundation for this shift was established between February and September 2024, when an ESCOM team drawn from the Public Relations, Planning, Safety, and Distribution departments developed a comprehensive sourcebook. This publication now serves as the reference material for integrating electricity education into the curriculum.
ESCOM Chief Public Relations and Communications Officer, Pilirani Phiri, said the initiative is expected to instill knowledge at an earlier age about the importance of electricity and the dangers associated with vandalizing electrical infrastructure.
“We believe that once young learners understand the value of this critical infrastructure and the dangers associated with vandalism, cases of vandalism will reduce significantly, and electricity-related accidents will drastically decline,” Phiri said.
He added that the initiative will contribute to producing responsible and informed citizens who appreciate the strategic role electricity plays in national development, particularly in advancing Malawi’s long-term development aspirations under the Malawi 2063 agenda.