Malawi's President Peter Mutharika has announced that from January 2026 education will be completely free for all students in the country. The move, one of the most ambitious of his term in office, will eliminate any tuition or examination fees at public primary and secondary schools.
The government will assume the total financing of the education system, including school materials, infrastructure maintenance and pedagogical resources. According to Mutharika, this is a strategic investment to “train a generation ready to transform the country” and move towards a development model based on knowledge and equal opportunities.
The plan, which will be phased in over 2025, will require significant budget restructuring and an increase in the number of teachers and schools. Ministry of Education sources have advanced that teacher training standards and working conditions are already being reviewed to ensure an orderly transition.
The initiative has been enthusiastically welcomed by social organisations and parents' associations, which see it as a decisive step towards educational inclusion. However, local experts warn of the logistical and financial challenges of extending free education in a country where most rural schools still lack basic resources.
With this policy, the Malawian government aims to reduce inequality and improve enrolment rates, especially among girls and young people in rural communities. If on schedule, Malawi will become one of the few countries in sub-Saharan Africa to guarantee universal free education up to the end of secondary school.
Source: allafrica.com; china.org.cn