Education Crisis
Access to education Is the #1 Problem in Malawi
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The Education Crisis In Malawi
Improving educational opportunities is among Malawi’s greatest challenges. Free primary education has existed in Malawi for over 25 years. The elimination of school fees had a significant impact on enrollment. The percent of children attending primary school almost doubled, which lead to severe overcrowding and a lack of resources. A lack of qualified teachers also remains a problem. Further, the high cost of secondary education makes it impossible for most children to attend high school. Only 30% of primary students move on to a secondary education. A lack of access and money, the social pressure to marry and care for family members, and a growing HIV/AIDs epidemic all act as barriers to education.
Overcrowded Schools and Lack of Materials
The sharp increase in school enrollment at the primary school level led to significant overcrowding issues throughout Malawi.
119 to 1
The average classroom in Malawi has 119 students. An average U.S. classroom has 23 students.
99 to 1
The ratio of students to a teacher in Malawi is 99 to 1 compared with a ratio of 23 to 1 in the U.S.
48 to 1
With a ratio of 48 students per one chair, most Malawian students must stand or sit on the floor at school.
38 to 1
There is no guarantee to a desk in a Malawian school, where the ratio of students to a desk is 38 to 1.
24 to 1
Most students lack basic learning materials in Malawi, where an average of 24 students share one textbook.
The Need for Learning Materials
A 2011 report by the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SAMEQ) revealed that approximately 25% of students in Malawi lack the very basic learning materials essential for participation in classroom instruction—at least one textbook, a pencil, and a ruler. The number of students lacking basic learning materials increases in rural areas of the country.
Teacher Quality
Many of the teachers in Malawi who have completed a college-level training program still find themselves under-qualified and unprepared to teach a class with an average of 99 students. Only half of the teachers working in Malawi’s primary schools attended an official college-level training program. Official training programs have changed since the implementation of free primary education and, in many cases, not for the better. Many two-year programs have been shortened to one year in order to meet the need of putting teachers in classrooms.
Lack of Access to School
While enrollment has increased at the primary school level, several barriers prohibit many students from attending both primary and secondary schools.
Transportation & Essentials
The travel distance to and from school, the lack of appropriate clothing, and the lack of food keep many children from attending school. There are no government-run lunch programs in the primary schools of Malawi.
Access to Secondary Schools & College
Only 30% of eligible primary school students are accepted by existing secondary schools. Only 4% of eligible secondary school student are accepted by existing colleges and universities.
Money & Personal Issues
The cost to attend secondary school and college is beyond the reach of most families in Malawi, where the average income is only $300 per year. At the secondary level, the average dropout rate is 16% for girls and 10% for boy. Among the top reasons cited for dropping out are a lack of money, early marriage and pregnancies, and lack of interest.
Disabilities
Students identified as having a disability such as blindness or low vision or deafness or hard of hearing have limited access to any type of education. There is a severe lack of services, making access to education challenging and almost impossible.
Student Achievement
Multiple barriers challenge students to thrive and excel within the education system in Malawi. As a result, levels of achievement remain an area of great concern.
Most students in Malawi cannot read or write properly even after completing primary school. Less than 7% percent of students demonstrate an ability to engage in interpretive, inferential, analytical, or critical reading. While a majority of students score well at a basic numeracy level, less than 10% of students are mathematically skilled or competent in concrete or abstract problem-solving levels.
