The Malawi Institute of Education (MIE) has begun a workshop to validate draft syllabuses for Forms 1 and 2 as part of the country's lower secondary school curriculum reform, according to the institute's official updates. MIE Acting Executive Director Jennings Kayira and Ministry of Education Deputy Director for Quality Assurance John Mswayo urged participating teachers and university stakeholders to develop a curriculum that encourages critical thinking and aligns with national goals. Concurrently, MIE and the Creative Centre for Community Mobilization (CRECCOM) are refining an education resource book on gender. The guide, supported by Plan Malawi, aims to provide primary and secondary teachers with practical strategies to challenge harmful gender norms and improve learning environments for female students.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has reaffirmed its focus on improving actual learning outcomes rather than just expanding primary school access. Speaking during a visit to Kamuzu Primary School in Mchinji, Deputy Minister of Education Francis Foley praised the National Mathematics Curriculum Reform and the Teaching at the Right Level remediation pilot, MBC Online reports. Foley stressed that boosting enrolment figures is insufficient without ensuring students acquire essential foundational skills.
The focus on foundational education comes alongside warnings about the national learning deficit. According to Nation Online, David Mulera, acting deputy executive secretary of the Malawi National Commission for Unesco, stated that approximately 60 percent of Malawian learners lack basic literacy and numeracy skills. Speaking at a national conference in Lilongwe, education rights activist Limbani Nsapato warned that systemic challenges, including underfunding and a shortage of teaching materials, cause many students to leave the formal education system without these skills.
In an effort to keep vulnerable learners in the classroom, the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc has donated K20 million to the non-governmental organisation AGE Africa, Nyasa Times reports. NBM Senior Legal Manager Mercy Mulele stated that the funds will support the education of underprivileged girls, noting that financial constraints remain a primary driver of school dropouts across the country.