The Minister of Education, Science and Technology Bright Msaka, on Thursday delivered a comprehensive statement in Parliament outlining the government’s plan to introduce Free Secondary Education (FSE) across Malawi.
The announcement follows a directive by President Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika, aimed at expanding equitable access to education and accelerating human capital development.
Speaking in the August House, Msaka expressed gratitude to President Mutharika for entrusting him with the responsibility of leading the education sector. He emphasized that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government recognizes the strong link between education and national development, noting that a youthful population without adequate education presents risks to economic progress and political stability.
According to the Minister, Malawi’s secondary education system faces significant challenges. The country currently has 1,968 secondary schools—1,485 public and 482 private—serving about 538,800 students, only 7 percent of whom are boarders. Net enrollment stood at 17 percent in 2024, meaning 83 percent of eligible learners were not accessing secondary education.
The primary-to-secondary transition rate was also low at 49.7 percent, with dropout rates rising.
Msaka highlighted past interventions, including building infrastructure, expanding double-shift schools, constructing girls’ hostels, offering bursaries, and recruiting more teachers. However, he said more decisive action was needed.
The Minister also revisited the 2018 reforms, under which the DPP government abolished tuition fees, textbook revolving fund charges, and general-purpose fees in public secondary schools. Although School Development Funds (SDF) were meant for minor projects, some schools introduced additional fees, undermining equitable access.
The new FSE policy, Msaka said, is designed to eliminate such barriers.
Under the implementation plan announced:
Examination and ID fees charged by MANEB for PLSCE, JCE, and MSCE exams are abolished with immediate effect.
All development fees in public secondary schools will be abolished from 1 January 2026.
Boarding fees in all government secondary schools will be removed from 1 April 2026.
All fees for Government Open Secondary Schools will also be eliminated from 1 April 2026.
The Ministry of Education, with support from the Ministry of Finance, will provide matching funds to schools and MANEB to ensure smooth operations.
Msaka added that discussions are underway with the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralization, and the Ministry of Local Government to ensure that Community Day Secondary Schools (which fall under local authorities) benefit from the K5 billion Constituency Development Fund (CDF). He urged Members of Parliament to prioritize education projects in their constituencies.
The Minister stressed that the success of Free Secondary Education will depend on shared responsibility between government, communities, and development partners. Once fully implemented, he said, the policy will enhance social equity and strengthen Malawi’s human capital base.
Msaka concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment: “Education is a powerful driver of socio-economic development, and under the leadership of His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, we are committed to making secondary education free for all Malawian children.”
He thanked Parliament for the opportunity to outline the government’s plan and called on all stakeholders to support this transformative agenda.
