In Malawi, year on year, literally decade on decade, students are encouraged to attend and do well in school. Most (to say almost all would hardly be an exaggeration) go through school not ever having owned a single text book. They study in hot, stale-aired boilerrooms masquarading as classrooms, having run miles in the scorching African sun or pelting rain, often on empty stomachs. Many do manage, nevertheless, to beat the odds and they do pass standardized tests. Many qualify for University with grades good enough for Uni anywhere in the world. But, due to a combination of an absence of vision amongst those in leadership positions, pilfering of funds through grand corruption, and under-remuneration of teachers as well as under-resourcing of the education sector (and, in recent years, a tribalistic quota system), these University-eligible Malawians have no option but to seek menial jobs. Sadly, due to a stagnant job-creation environment, many of them yet find no (as in zero) job opportunities for 8, 12, and often more years. This pattern has repeated itself over the entire 50 years of Malawi’s existence.

Beyond the need for something to radically change, something has to radically and lawfully be changed NOW in the interest of young Malawians in all districts.

This reminds me of a quote by Eckhart Tolle that I recently reread, which challenges that “most humans are never fully present in the now, because unconsciously they believe that the next moment must be more important than this one. But then you miss your whole life, which is never not now”.

Finally, the unpleasant, and clearly foolish, which seems to be advocating killing Ngoni’s in Malawi, or chasing them away.