From Policy to Practice: Turning Malawi's 21st Century Skills Vision into Reality

In Malawi, 86% of youth of secondary school age lack access to education. Among those who make it through, only 4% of secondary school graduates transition to tertiary education, while less than 30% of the 48% who complete primary school proceed to public secondary education. These statistics highlight the urgent need to strengthen Malawi’s education system and address barriers to equitable learning opportunities.

With support and technical assistance from the Centre for Universal Education (CUE) at Brookings, the Creative Centre for Community Mobilisation (CRECCOM), under the Network for Education Systems Transformation (NEST), explored how effectively Malawi’s secondary education system fosters skills development.

As skills development emerges as a national priority for Malawi, this study examined policy implementation, cross-sector collaboration, and strategies to enhance 21st-century skills development.

Findings reveal a strong governmental commitment, as demonstrated through numerous policies on 21st-century skills; however, significant gaps persist between policy intentions and practices at the school level. Cohesion within the educational ecosystem is weak. Teacher shortages, underqualified educators, and inadequate infrastructure and learning resources collectively undermine teaching and learning quality across the country.

Methodology

The study used a mixed-methods design, combining qualitative interviews and focus group discussions with quantitative surveys. It targeted students from all categories of secondary schools in Malawi, parents, teachers, policymakers, and school governance structures at the school level.

Qualitative data was collected through focus group discussions with parents and Key Informant Interviews.

Quantitative data was gathered through semi-structured questionnaires administered to students and teachers.

Key Findings

A persistent gap between policy commitment and classroom practice is evident. Resource limitations and an entrenched exam-oriented culture continue to undermine the implementation of skill-related policies. Teacher shortages, infrastructure challenges, and lack of materials prevent schools from delivering the practical components of the curriculum.

Rural disparities and structural barriers often lead to high teacher attrition and a shortage of specialist staff, reducing education quality in many contexts. Furthermore, curriculum design processes often exclude community voices, resulting in goal misalignment within the education ecosystem.

The study also highlights that Malawi's education system is heavily reliant on donor funding, which gives external actors significant influence over infrastructure, digital tools, and even curriculum content.

Recommendations

The study proposes several actions to strengthen Malawi’s secondary education system:

1. Strengthen System Commitment - Through feedback, equity, and structural support. The Ministry should prioritize infrastructure, staffing, and capacity development of teachers in underperforming schools and districts, while addressing structural constraints.

2. Align Pedagogy with 21st Century Learning - Curriculum, assessments, and the pedagogical core should prioritize 21st-century skills across Malawi’s secondary education system.

3. Empower Mid-Level Leaders and Structures - By integrating mindset change into and reforming career and professional development (CPD) and pre-service training at the national level.

As we await the official launch of the report in November, you can now access Learning What Matters in 10 Global South Contexts: Report Launch and Reflections from the Network for Education Systems Transformation (NEST) https://youtu.be/saX0A180n7s

It’s a rich compilation of insights and lessons from across the Global South, highlighting how local innovations are shaping inclusive and transformative education systems.