Patience Kavalo
Eric Musiwa Banda, a Kuyenda Youth Champion from Nkhata-Bay Malawi, recently participated in the Southern Africa Youth Parliament Standing Committee Session on Education, Science and Technology. Held under the theme “Empowering Youth for Sustainable Development and Inclusive Governance in the SADC Region” with the Sub-Theme “Revitalizing Education, Science, and Technology for Youth Empowerment and Sustainable Development in the SADC Region”.
Eric was one of the presenters during the event for the virtual event — a position he earned through a competitive process that required the submission of a detailed concept note. After a rigorous review by the organisers, Eric’s proposal was accepted, and he was invited to join the programme as a speaker.
Alongside Eric, more than 10 young people from Malawi and other implementing countries contributed through Q&A sessions and comments, making the event an inclusive platform for youth voices.
Eric’s presentation focused on “Improving Access to Quality Education in Sub-Saharan Africa”, aligning closely with Kuyenda Collective’s advocacy priorities, which include increasing education financing and promoting efficient resource allocation through tools such as Education Management Information Systems (EMIS).
In his remarks, Eric highlighted some of the systemic challenges affecting education in the region — including high pupil-to-teacher ratios, inadequate teaching and learning materials, and insufficient infrastructure for teaching and learning, such as classroom blocks, laboratories and libraries.
He referenced key continental frameworks guiding government commitments to education, including the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA) 2016–2025, which emphasises quality, relevant education, equitable access, and teacher development.
He also spoke on the Agenda 2063 Education Strategy, which prioritises quality and inclusive education, promotes Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and supports skills development for the digital economy and entrepreneurship.
Eric noted that these blueprints provide a framework for African countries to improve the overall quality of education offered, expand access to education, and ensure its relevance to Africa’s development needs. He concluded by calling on governments to not only commit to these frameworks but to actively implement them at national level. In Malawi, he urged the government to prioritise the full implementation of the National Education Sector Implementation Plan (NESIP) to ensure education is accessible, relevant, and of high quality for all.