Does the University-Industry Link Affect Solving Challenges of the Job Market? Lessons From Teacher Education and the Ministry of Education in Malawi

Abstract

About half of the secondary school teachers in Malawi are professionally unqualified. Furthermore, the net enrolment of eligible pupils in secondary schools is at 36% per year. Hence, this study sought to establish factors affecting access to quality and relevant secondary education in Malawi with reference to coordination, collaboration, and feedback between secondary school teacher education institutions and the Ministry of Education. Officials from the Ministry of Education and secondary school teacher training colleges participated in the study. Findings suggest that there is weak collaboration, coordination, and feedback between teacher training institutions and the Ministry of Education which is affecting the quality and relevance of education in Malawi. The study has also established that the weak linkage has resulted into perceived mismatches between expectations of the ministry and those of the education institutions about the problem in question. Theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed in this article.

Student Satisfaction of the Suitability of Field Work Practice Materials with Learning Outcomes

“…Findings of the study indicate that there is perceived weak coordination, collaboration, and feedback between the 2 institutions and that this scenario con-tributes to failure to solve challenges in the education sector [14]. Evaluation of FWP implementation in relation to the suitability of FWP' material with learning outcomes needs to be done, but the evaluation has not been carried out systematically.…”