Despite a government ban, some schools across the country are quietly conducting paid remedial classes during holidays, exposing deep cracks in the education system and raising concerns about equity, oversight and child welfare.
Investigations in Lilongwe reveal that both public and private institutions are defying a Ministry of Education policy by offering covert lessons—often at steep fees and in off-campus venues to avoid inspection. Students, teachers, and school staff confirmed the practice, which continues to thrive despite official warnings.
At Malingunde Primary School, a Standard 8 learner disclosed that all 94 students in her class paid K2 000 each for summer classes that began on August 11 2025.
“Everyone paid because the teachers do not repeat the lessons done during the holidays when another term begins,” she said.
Other schools charge significantly more. Kalambo LEA School reportedly collects K10 000 per learner, while teachers from Dzenza Secondary School conduct lessons at undisclosed locations for K50 000, with negotiable rates depending on the holiday’s duration.
At Kabwabwa Community Day Secondary School in Lilongwe, a 17-year-old Form 4 student revealed that he attends summer classes at a nearby primary school to dodge inspection.
“I paid K40 000 for the classes, but during holidays we do not learn at our school since teachers are afraid of authorities from the Ministry of Education who are against learning during the break,” he said.
The head teacher at Shire Primary School admitted that proximity to the main road makes the school vulnerable to inspection. “Our teachers join forces with others at a school that is safer from Ministry officials. Learners pay K30,000 each,” he said.
While the Ministry of Education prohibits holiday teaching to protect students’ right to rest and prevent inequality, it simultaneously encourages remedial learning—creating a policy contradiction that weakens enforcement.
In an interview, Ministry of Basic Education spokesperson Christopher Kapachira noted that the policy aims at protecting learners’ rights to rest and avoid creating disparities.
He emphasized: “Teaching during holidays is against our policy. It disadvantages vulnerable families and disrupts the resting period for both teachers and students.”
Kapachira added that any school found operating contrary to the policies risks disciplinary action, and called on education authorities to enforce compliance at all levels.
However, Independent Schools Association of Malawi (Isama) president Wycliffe Chimwendo feels it is not wrong to conduct classes during school holidays.
“These are remedial classes aimed to assist learners, especially those in national examination classes that are facing difficulties in some subjects. It also helps teachers to finish syllabi in time for necessary revisions. It also affords parents ample time to enrol children in schools that perform well,” he said.
A teacher we talked to in Mulanje defended the practice, saying: “Schools that perform poorly are often those that strictly follow ministry policy. Day schools need holiday classes to compete with boarding schools.”
Experts warn that the practice is increasingly driven by financial motives. “Schools use these extra classes to make money at the expense of poor students,” said Limbani Nsapato, executive director of Link for Education Governance.
He added that while remedial classes are helpful, they must be free and inclusive. “Children need holidays to recover from stress and engage with their families. Overloading them with paid classes undermines their right to leisure.”
Benedicto Kondowe of the Civil Society Education Coalition echoed the concern: “Unregulated summer classes create two parallel streams—those who can pay and those who cannot. Government must enforce its ban while exploring a framework for moderated, needs-based holiday learning.”
Education stakeholders are urging the Ministry to develop clear guidelines for holiday learning that prioritize exam candidates, regulate fees, and ensure quality. Without such a framework, the current system risks deepening inequality and eroding trust in public education.
As schools continue to operate in defiance, the question remains: will policy catch up with practice, or will the gap between intention and reality continue to widen?
