Following earlier reports on Malawi hosting the African Education Summit to address primary school learning gaps, the 2026 Africa Foundational Learning Exchange (FLEX2026) officially opened on July 15 at the Bingu wa Mutharika International Convention Centre in Lilongwe. According to the Association for the Development of Education in Africa, the three-day event has convened over 600 policymakers and education leaders from more than 40 African countries to evaluate progress toward ending learning poverty by 2035.
The summit highlights ongoing systemic education challenges in the region. According to UNICEF data utilized for the conference, only 17 percent of three- to four-year-old children in Malawi are currently developmentally on track in basic literacy and numeracy. Background surveys also indicate that youth illiteracy remains high among specific vulnerable populations, prompting calls for targeted educational reforms.
In higher education news, the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) released its student selection list for the 2026/2027 academic year on July 14. According to a university statement, the newly admitted cohort includes candidates across the Economic Fee Paying, Extended Degree, Diploma, and Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) programmes. MUBAS management confirmed that incoming ODeL students are scheduled to officially commence their studies on July 20, with physical orientation sessions planned on campus from August 19 to August 31.