The Catholic University of Malawi, through the Faculty of Law, conducted a legal clinic that aimed at equipping students at Chikwawa Teachers Training College with knowledge on marriage laws.
Head of Legal Practical Legal Studies at the Catholic University of Malawi, Tamandani Kadyampakeni, commended the legal clinic for being an eye-opener on marriage laws to students at the teacher training, as most of them could be new to marriage or they are yet to get married.
“As a practicing lawyer, I have come to understand that one of the issues clients bring to us relates to problems in marriage. The other marriage-related problems include divorce and separation. These are pertinent issues, and I wish more members of the public had access to legal advice so that they could make informed decisions,” said Kadyampakeni.
He added that the clinic also helps law students gain practical experience by interacting with people on legal matters.
Chikwawa Teachers Training College Acting Principal Ellen Simango applauded the Catholic University for organising the legal clinic for students at the college.
“Through the presentation, we have learned a lot. It is the first time for an outside group to come to our college, and, as such, I believe that students will use the knowledge they have acquired to sharpen other skills. For example, now that they are confident, they can stand in front of an audience and articulate issues,” Simango said.
During the legal clinic, we shared knowledge about the about the formal requirements of marriage, the obligations of couples, and factors that led to divorce, just to name a few.
The Faculty of Law is among the seven faculties at the Catholic University of Malawi. Through the faculty of law, the university offers accredited Bachelor of Laws (Honours), making it the only private university in Malawi offering an accredited law programme.