Education

9-year-old Emilida was all smiles after receiving a Math textbook from her teacher at Mphande Primary School in Mphande Education zone, Mwanza District. Her face shone brightly with joy even when chatting with her fellow grade 3 friends under a tree during break time.

Save the Children Malawi Country Office in partnership with the Malawi Government through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology-MOEST, recently held the 2018 National Inclusive Education Conference. Celebrated under the theme: Inclusive Education; Shaping the Future of Every Child, the event aimed at showcasing key achievements made in the implementation of the Inclusive Education in Malawi Program which the Ministry of Education will be institutionalizing for roll out across the country.

One of the prevailing challenges in most primary schools in Malawi is low reading skills among learners. Some learners go up until the fourth grade without knowing how to read. Without basic literacy skills children are unable to learn, and this gives them little chance of succeeding in school and beyond.

23-year old Peter is a proactive youth with a passion for designing clothes. Second born in a family of five, Peter completed his secondary school education in 2015.

Upon completion of his secondary school level, Peter was not successful to enroll with one of the Country’s universities.

Tertiary education in Malawi is not free. As such, one needs to be financially prepared when they are enrolled at any university.

Like any other person whose ambition is to go further with education, Peter was frustrated as his parents could not afford to pay for his education.

By Lindiwe Bandazi

Poor access to schools and lack of learning resources are some of the biggest barriers to education for children in Malawi. In Mwalasi area of Machinga district, the most difficult challenge for many children is access to secondary school. The area has 14 primary school but no secondary school, leaving children to ‘scramble for places in schools in faraway places’.