Malawi

Background Information

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

World Bank income group

Low income

Percent of population aged 10-24

35% (UNFPA, 2023)

Total primary school age population (both sexes)

3,391,169 (UIS, 2022)

Total secondary school age population (both sexes)

3,105,197 (UIS, 2022)

Proportion of women aged 20-24 years who were married or in a union before age 18 (% of women aged 20-24)

38%

Source: UNSDG , 2020

Adolescent birth rate (per 1,000 women ages 15-19)

136

Source: UN Human Development Reports , 2018

Percentage of women who ever experienced physical violence since age 15 (% of women 15-49)

34%

Source: DHS , 2016

Percentage of married women employed in the last 12 months (% of married or in-union women 15-49)

72%

Source: DHS , 2016

Education Snapshot Back to Top

Number of years of free primary and secondary education guaranteed in legal frameworks (Years)

8

Source: UIS , 2022

Percentage of upper secondary schools providing life skills-based HIV and sexuality education within the formal curriculum or as part of extra-curricular activities

No data available

Proportion of schools with access to single-sex basic sanitation facilities Percentage of schools

  • Primary 72%

    (2016)

  • Upper secondary 61%

    (2016)

Source: UIS

Women as a percentage of teachers in tertiary education

No data available

Men as a percentage of teachers in pre-primary education Men as a percentage

Source: UIS , 2021

Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure % GDP spent on education

Source: UIS , 2018

Proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading

  • Female 13%

  • Male 18%

Female: UIS, 2013

Male: UIS, 2013

Proportion of students at the end of primary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in mathematics

  • Female 3%

  • Male 5%

Female: UIS, 2013

Male: UIS, 2013


Experiencing bullying in the last 12 months in lower secondary education

No data available

Youth not in education, employment or training

  • Female 25%

  • Male 14%

Female: ILO, 2020

Male: ILO, 2020


Completion rate

Primary school age
  • Female 52%

  • Male 43%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016

Lower secondary school age
  • Female 21%

  • Male 23%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016

Upper secondary school age
  • Female 13%

  • Male 15%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016


Out-of-school rate

Primary school
  • Female 5%

  • Male 6%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016

Lower secondary school
  • Female 8%

  • Male 8%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016

Upper secondary school
  • Female 36%

  • Male 23%

Female: UIS, 2016

Male: UIS, 2016

Legal Frameworks Back to Top

Presence of legislation on child protection, to prevent corporal punishment in schools

1

No protection from violence in educational institutions

Source: HerAtlas , 2019

Presence of legislation protecting the right to education without discrimination based on sex/gender

1

Does not enshrine right to education

Source: HerAtlas , 2019

Presence of legislation to protect and facilitate education of pregnant adolescent girls

2

No explicit protection of the right to education of pregnant and parenting girls

Source: HerAtlas , 2019

Existence of processes to support coordinated action on gender equality in and through education by ministries, civil society, youth organizations and other actors

Data coming soon!

Existence of systematic processes to review and update curricula and learning resources, with a view to eradicating gender stereotypes and promoting gender equality

Data coming soon!

Training on gender-responsive pedagogies is embedded in teacher training programmes

Data coming soon!


Programs Back to Top

Project/Program

Advancing Girls' Education

Project/Program

CAMFED Association

Project/Program

Clean Water Wells

Project/Program

Clubs & Campus

Project/Program

Community Day Secondary School - Improving Girls' Access to Secondary Education

Funding Initiative/Portfolio

Community Grants Program

Funding Initiative/Portfolio

Comprehensive scholarship programme

Project/Program

Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Project/Program

DREAMS: Malawi Communities Investing in Education for Child Health and Safety

Project/Program

Education for Gender Justice

Funding Initiative/Portfolio

Education Out Loud (EOL)

Project/Program

Enabling Girls to Advance Gender Equity (ENGAGE)

Advocacy Campaign/Project

Enough

Project/Program

Essential Gender-Based Violence Services and Prevention Project in Malawi

Project/Program

FAWE's Gender Sensitive Schools

Project/Program

Food for Education

Funding Initiative/Portfolio

Gender Equity/Education Funding

Project/Program

Gender-Responsive Pedagogy

Funding Initiative/Portfolio

Girls Secondary Education Initiative

Project/Program

Kids in Need of Desks (KIND) Fund Malawi

Project/Program

Leading Community Action for Vulnerable Girls: Young African women at the forefront of COVID-19

Project/Program

Leave No Girl Behind

Project/Program

Mayi ndi Mayi Pachuma Project

Project/Program

More Than Brides Alliance: Marriage: No Child's Play

Research Project/Report/Study

Partnership for Research on Progress and Resilience in Education (PREPARE)

Project/Program

Reading for All Malawi (REFAM)

Project/Program

Reducing Adolescent Pregnancy (RAP) in the Era of COVID-19

Project/Program

Safe Learning Model

Project/Program

Schools for Africa

Project/Program

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Project/Program

Service-learning for WASH in schools

Project/Program

Stand Up for Adolescents

Project/Program

Strengthening Higher Education Access in Malawi Activity (SHEAMA)

Project/Program

Strengthening Opportunities for Adolescent Resilience (SOAR)

Project/Program

Teacher Training (Theatre for a Change)

Project/Program

TEAM Girl Malawi (Transformational Empowerment of Adolescent Marginalised Girls in Malawi)

Research Project/Report/Study

Tega

Research Project/Report/Study

The Effect of COVID-19 on Education in Africa and its Implications for the Use of Technology: A Survey of the Experiences and Opinions of Educators and Technology Specialists

Research Project/Report/Study

The Impact of Increased Access to Family Planning on Fertility and Health in Malawi

Project/Program

Transition Guides/Peer Educators

Project/Program

Unlocking Talent Through Technology

Project/Program

Women in Science (WiSci)

Project/Program

World Teacher

Project/Program

Youth Enterprise

Research Project/Report/Study

Youth Think Tank

Advocacy Campaign/Project

Zathu

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Government Programs Back to Top

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Transforming Education Summit National Statement of Commitment Back to Top