A total of 315 students have graduated from Magomero Community Development College in Chiradzulu, with a call to embrace innovation and self-employment rather than relying on white-collar jobs.

Presiding over the 2025 graduation ceremony, Minister of Gender and Social Welfare, Jean Sendeza, expressed concern over the prevailing mindset among graduates who focus solely on securing formal employment — a trend she said has hindered the country's social and economic development.

Sendeza particularly emphasized the importance of entrepreneurship for the first cohort of 70 students from the Shire Valley Districts of Nsanje and Chikwawa, who completed specialized training in irrigation operations and farm tractor operations as part of the government's mega irrigation project.

"You know, as a country, we have struggled with food deficits for too long. The Shire Valley Transformation Project aims to address these challenges through irrigation farming. Therefore, I encourage these students, who received training with support from the World Bank, to venture into agri-business," said Sendeza.

Echoing her remarks, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Dr. Netha Semphere Mgala, challenged the graduates to build on their certificates and diplomas by pursuing further studies.

Meanwhile, Magomero Community Development College Principal, Yanila Mtapaonga, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to producing quality human capital that contributes to national development, as outlined in Pillar 5 of the country's development goals.

One of the graduates, Steven Moyala, who earned a certificate in irrigation operations engineering, said the training had opened his eyes to the potential of agri-business.

Established in 1963, Magomero Community Development College offers a range of programs, including Community Development, Early Childhood Development, Nutrition, Adult Education, and Agro-Food Processing.