Officials from Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), headed by Deputy Director for Higher Education Dr Valentino Zimpita, visited the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) to assess its levels of preparedness in readiness for reopening this coming Monday, September 14.
The university is scheduled to reopen on the date for the first group of students comprising those in their third, fourth and fifth years of study.
The Ministry wants all education institutions to follow a laid down protocol before reopening so that once students are on campus, there is minimal transmission of the Covid-19.
Addressing the team, Vice Chancellor Professor Address Malata said the university is ready but it is up to the Ministry on advise on any shortfalls so they can be addressed before the students arrive on campus.
The team from MoEST, which also included two officials from the National Council for Higher Education and another from the Ministry, also listened to presentations on measures put in place to combat Covid-19 and the mode of teaching and learning and how the academic matters will be handled. The presentations were made by Professor Wilson Mandala and Professor Jonathan Makuwira, chairperson of the MUST Covid-19 Taskforce and Deputy Vice Chancellor, respectively.
After the presentations, the team toured the university campus focusing on hostels, cafeteria, lecture rooms, laboratories and the university teaching hospital.
Dr Zimpita said it appeared MUST was very proactive and met most of the set requirements but his team will prepare a report that will seal the university’s fate on reopening.