EDUCATIONIST WARNS MALAWIANS ON ABMA

Chairperson of Share World Open University Professor Jack Makhaza has said it is time Malawi became dubious foreign examination bodies.

In an interview with ZBS after it was discovered that examination papers for Association of Business Managers and Administrators ABMA were leaked Prof. Makhaza said it is was an embarrassment to the country.

He also revealed that institutions in the country administering ABMA do so illegally because this body is not registered with the government of United Kingdom’s Qualification and Curriculum Authority QCA.

All United Kingdom based examination boards strive to get recognition of the government of the United Kingdom through its Qualification and Curriculum Authority QCA.

This body accredits, regulates, develop and modernize curriculum besides assessing examinations and qualifications for the examination boards with an aim to build excellent education and framework.

However the Association of Business Managers and Administrators ABMA whose courses are administered in the country is one body that is not recognized by QCA and therefore its operations in country is illegal.

To make matters worse ZBS revealed this week that examination papers for the board especially in Rural Development, Gender and others found their way unto the market days before candidates were to take them.

During a workshop organized by Share world in conjunction with Association of Business Executive ABE in September last year Founder and Chairman of ABE Mr. Lyndon Jones said pleaded with local colleges to crosscheck with QCA before embracing examinations.

Chairperson of Share world Open University Professor Jack Makhaza said countries like Kenya, Namibia and South Africa have since banned it and Malawi needs to do something and that his institution has never offered any ABMA courses.

He warned that the country should not just rush for anything because it offers a fast course or because it is from outside Malawi saying of what good is it going to do Malawi if people write exams that are leaked.

The professor said ever since Share World was accredited by government they have been running their own programmes because they have recognized that some of the foreign examination bodies are bent at ripping off unsuspecting Malawians.

He said since this seems to be like a continuation of lowering the standards government is not just sitting down as the creation of a regulator on education of higher learning is now in the pipeline.