By Llywellenie Mpasa:
Dzuka Publishing Company, a subsidiary of The Times Group, has launched 10 Blossom Series of textbooks specifically designed for the early childhood development (ECD) sector.
Speaking during the launch in Blantyre on Tuesday, the company’s publishing manager Maureen Masamba said Dzuka is dedicated to contributing to the national agenda through the provision of educational materials.
“By providing these resources, we hope to empower educators and parents alike, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed in life,” she said.
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The textbooks— which are in line with the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare’s ECD curriculum—cover essential subjects such as mathematics (numeracy), English (literacy) and environmental activities.
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“The newly developed textbooks are meticulously crafted to provide relevant knowledge befitting both the local and international settings,” Masamba said.
The books are categorised into three levels to cater to children aged between three and six years, ensuring they address different developmental stages.
Masamba said development of the textbooks is a significant milestone in Malawi’s education sector.
“Early years are a crucial period for cognitive, social and emotional development, and investing in this stage can yield significant long-term benefits for individuals and society as a whole,” she said.
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Deputy Director in the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Justin Hamela, said there is a need to prioritise childhood development in the national agenda.
He said community-based care centres (CBCC) are doing an incredible job, but that they need more resources and support to reach their full potential
Speaking as the guest of honor at the launch, Hamela said investing in ECD is crucial for building a prosperous nation.
“As Malawi continues to strive for development, the emphasis on early childhood learning remains a crucial aspect of the broader strategy to improve education and overall societal well-being,” he said.
Hamela also appealed to Dzuka Publishing Company to produce parenting books designed to educate parents on effective child-rearing practices.
He expressed optimism that Malawi could look forward to a brighter future, built on the foundation of strong early childhood education, working towards achieving goals of the Malawi 2063 vision.
The event was punctuated by kids’ activities from Jolly Kids Nursery School and Tilitonse CBCC from Lunzu, who demonstrated ECD pre-school techniques and narrated lessons drawn from the new textbooks.
One of the caregivers, Grace Majawa from Tilitonse CBCC in Nazombe Village, Traditional Authority Kapeni, in Lunzu, Blantyre, commended the Blossom Series.
She said the series would assist in delivering lessons where previously they searched for online lessons to aid their teaching.
Executive Director at the Association of Early Childhood Development in Malawi, Clement Silungwe, commended Dzuka for coming to children’s rescue.
He mentioned that people remember Timve and Tsala lessons from early primary schools during the time Dzuka used to publish learning textbooks for primary schools.
