Ministry of Education, Science and Technology says it has received about K3.8 billion for the implementation of free secondary education for the second term of the 2025-26 academic year.
The ministry’s spokesperson Lily Kampani confirmed in an interview yesterday that the disbursement is part of the K10 billion needed for the schools to operate up to the new financial year starting on April 1 this year.
She said part of the funding will be disbursed in February and another tranche in March, adding that most schools had received the funding.
“The funding is for what we have removed, including the school development fund,” said Kampani.
But the Civil Society Education Coalition (Csec) has expressed concern with the partial disbursement of the funding, saying the schools need the resources before opening.
Csec executive director Benedicto Kondowe in an interview said most schools will struggle to deliver quality education due to inadequate resources.
have removed. | Nation
“Disbursement has to be made before schools start so that they have resources to provide education,” he said.
The Nation visited three secondary schools in Blantyre, namely Zingwangwa, Njamba and Chichiri where it was noted that classes had resumed.
During the spot checks head teachers confirmed receiving funding from the government.
Malawi Secondary School Headteachers Association president Steve Kungala, a head teacher at Zingwangwa SecondarySchool, said schools have received students as expected for the second term with no challenges recorded so far.
“They have come in good numbers,” he said.
On his part, Njamba Secondary School head teacher Olaf Sanga said they received about 300 students on the first day out of 370 students.
The Democratic Progressive Party administration promised to implement free secondary education starting from January this year.
It followed the abolition of general-purpose fund and school development fees “to improve literacy levels, enrolment and retention”.
Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation Joseph Mwanamvekha said in his Mid-Year Budget Review Statement in Parliament that in addition, the Malawi National Examinations Board examination fees would also be abolished.
“The above incentives will require K32.5 billion for the last quarter of 2025-26 financial year. This demonstrates Democratic Progressive Party’s commitment to deliver on its manifesto and promises,” he said
Schools across the country opened yesterday for the second term which will end on April 2 this year. The third term will begin on April 20.
Free primary education was introduced in 1994 by the United Democratic Front administration led by Bakili Muluzi.
