A School Connectivity Landscape Analysis report has exposed deepening digital inequalities in Malawi’s education sector, with over 85 percent of schools lacking Internet access and over 46 percent operating without electricity.
The report, which covered 8 939 public and private primary and secondary schools across 34 education districts, was commissioned under the Unicef- ITU Giga partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Unicef Malawi.
Its findings were presented to education stakeholders in Lilongwe on Friday.
Among the key findings, the study, covering 6 030 603 learners, shows that one computer is shared by 356 students while 43 percent of available computers are concentrated in just five urban districts.
It also reveals a heavy reliance on non-governmental
organisations to finance ICT in schools, with government contributions trailing behind, followed by school funds and private donors.
exchange notes on the sidelines of the
meeting. | Andrew Viano
Reads part of the report: “1 692 non-electrified schools sit within 1km of the national grid, representing 19 percent of all unconnected schools and offering the most cost-effective starting point for rapid progress. Of these, 83 percent are in rural areas where need is greatest.
“The Central West Division
leads with 545 near-grid schools, making it the highest-priority area for targeted electrification. Solar energy is already powering 577 connected schools, demonstrating a scalable model for off-grid areas.”
Unicef country representative Penelope Campbell, who also chairs the Education Development Partners Group in Malawi, said the connectivity gap is most severe in rural areas. She called for coordinated action.
“At the moment, sectors are
working in isolation. Some areas have electricity but lack devices or Internet. This report shows the need to close those gaps through coordinated investment in connectivity,” she said.
In his remarks, Minister of Education, Science and Technology Bright Msaka acknowledged the scale of the challenge, noting that government is working with the Ministry of Information to achieve universal connectivity by 2030.
On his part, Minister o f Information and Communications Technology Shadric Namalomba said ongoing initiatives, including a World Bank project targeting over 2 000 schools and the Universal Service Fund, which has already connected more than 150 schools, are helping narrow the gap.
Malawi’s National ICT Policy mandates the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to promote ICT skills across all levels of learning while the Malawi 2063 Agenda, the country’s long-term development blueprint, identifies digital technology as a key driver toward a self-reliant nation.
