The Ministry of Education is optimistic that Malawi will achieve a 1 to 60 student-to-teacher ratio through the Malawi Education Reform Program project.
These remarks come as Malawi continues to grapple with challenges in basic infrastructure, learning materials, and student-to-teacher ratios, which hover around 1:70 to 1:100 in government schools.
In 2021, the World Bank committed over 150 billion kwacha to support the Ministry of Education in improving learning environments for lower primary students in government schools to support the construction of low-cost classrooms and latrines, and hiring auxiliary teachers.
In an interview with MIJ Online, Dr. Mangani Chilala Katundu, Secretary for Education, stated that the government is currently constructing 10,900 classrooms and over 1,000 sanitary facilities across the country.
“Basic education is indeed very vital because it provides the foundation for a lifetime of learning for a child, as indicated in Malawi 2063. One of the enablers is human capital for us to develop,” said Dr. Katundu.
He also mentioned that the project would support girls’ education by improving learning outcomes and increasing the number of female teachers in remote areas.
According to the World Bank, the project will enhance Malawi’s education sector by expanding and reforming Primary School Improvement Grants (PSIG) to provide better financial support to schools.
The Malawi Education Reform Program project will also improve learning environments in lower primary schools post-COVID-19 by funding classroom and latrine construction, hiring auxiliary teachers, and supporting hardship schools.
