ICTAM has successfully negotiated a deal for student and staff New Horizons - Malawi

The ICT Association of Malawi (ICTAM) received so many complaints from students and teachers of New Horizons who are members of the association and also frustrated parents and guardians of the closure of New Horizons in Malawi. One of our tasks as an association is to protect the interest of our members.

ICTAM do appreciate the role New Horizons Malawi has been playing in this country. Providing full range of IT internationally recognized qualification and business skills through flexible and innovative learning methods. This is in agreement with ICTAM’s top three focus areas namely ICT Knowledge, Services and Infrastructures of the five priorities. Information and communication technologies (ICT) knowledge is a key enabler of socioeconomic progress and development, enhancing productivity and therefore economic growth, reducing poverty and improving living standards in many ways.

ICTAM together with current owners of New Horizons Malawi, Educom LTD met on the 10^th of November 2010, at Riverside Hotel and sign an agreement on the following conditions

1. A guarantee for all enrolled (existing) students completing all their courses and exams and those refund for those interested.
2. All Staff been assured they will receive all their salaries and all remunerations as per contract and as stipulated in the laws of MALAWI.
3. That Mr Sancho Zacharia and Satheesh Acharya managers for Lilongwe & Blantyre get ALL their remunerations per contract, and as stipulated in the laws of MALAWI, and all required notices as inscribed in the contract.
4. That there are closing policies setup by the management for smooth transition.

It was through the same meeting that we both agreed on how the current student will be helped to the end. It is the wish of the owner of Educom Ltd Mr Dev V who has travelled long distance to be with us on this discussion to see to it that all existing students fully complete their courses and write exams even at the cost of paying staff overtime. ICTAM has been assured that ALL staff at both campuses will receive their salaries and gratuity.

The reason for closing down is purely not hitting the target hence operating under loss, however, ICTAM is more appreciative to Mr Dev V for his support and kindness to our students and staff even though master franchise, Techno Brain (Malawi) have no interest to support current students and staff at New Horizon under Educom LTD. ICTAM is disappointed knowing they are setting up similar institution hypothetically under new management with no interest of inheriting current students and staff.

Credit has to be given to staff and students of New Horizons for bravery during this trying period. We also sincerely thank the Malawi Police (Lilongwe Area 3) for their support and corporation, Ministers’ of Labour and Education, and we are highly grateful to the media for support.

We wish our dear students at New Horizons both campuses (Lilongwe and Blantyre) all the best. The future of Malawi ICT is in their hands. We need to join hands to fulfill our priority goal of ICT Knowledge. It is through knowledge that we can advance and achieve full utilization of ICT.

This statement has been jointly released by ICTAM and EDUCOM LTD assigned below:

Singed here by:

(EDUCOM LTD)

Mr Dev V.

(Managing Director)

Signed here by:

(ICTAM)

Mr Maxwell Phiri

(President)