Ministry of Education has applauded Lions Club International for introducing Lions Club Quest program in schools, an initiative which is targeting to equip skills for adolescents in all schools in Malawi.
The Lions Quest is a program that is targeting to equip skills for adolescents in Malawi courtesy of Lions Club International Foundation.
The introduction of the program in Malawi will help to enhance learners to develop self-esteem awareness, critical thinking as well as to resist negative peer pressure and entrepreneurship among others.
The program was launched in Lilongwe on Friday during Lions Club International and Teachers Training workshop where participants were drilled with knowledge for skills for adolescent.
Speaking during the launch, The Deputy Director for Quality Assurance in the Ministry of Education Lindiwe Chide Applauded Lions Club International for embarking Malawi quest program in the country.
She said the knowledge that has been equipped to Teachers will help them to deliver and to integrate with what is already in the ground, to supplement what has already been offered.
” The quest program is good move because it will help to impact more knowledge and skills to the learners, and we have commended it as Ministry of Education.
“The program is complementing with what is in the curriculum in Life skills education.” said Chide.
She further said the Lions quest program approach has also been recommended as learners will have more time to practice in forms of clubs apart from what the learners are learning in class.
However, Chide was quick to disclose that not all elements in the quest program will be incorporated but rather they will only extract some elements.
“We are not incorporating the whole program, but elements of it will be used to review our students because there is already Life skills subject which is still on course.” She added.
District Governor MD4128 Lion Ken Banda MJF said Lions club is trying to achieve that youths are shaped, helped and given skills that will help them to become fruitful citizens in the future.
“Lions quest program is ideal; the results have been positive in the countries where they adopted the program. Our youths should be able to address the everyday challenges they encounter as adolescent.” Said Banda.
One of the Participants a Teacher from Chinamwali pvt School, Esnath Chikwapula was gratified to say that the program will help her to handle children at her school saying she has acquired more skills that will aid her in handling the students.
“The knowledge that I have acquired here during the Lions quest training program will help me to impart knowledge effectively for the betterment of Malawian Children at large.” Said Chikwapula.
The adoption of the quest program will help to address challenges like negative peer pressure, STI, growth development diligences, gender disability, early pregnancies as well as Drugs and alcohol among others.
The Lions club was incepted in 1917 in United States, currently it has awarded 40 skills program.
Skills for the adolescents includes positive behavior, Social and emotional learning, Anti-Bullying, service learning and connection to school among other skills.
