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
Gender parity index for achievement in mathematics, by education level (ratio)
No data available
Gender parity index for achievement in reading, by education level (ratio)
No data available
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
Research Project/Report/Study
Accountability for Gender Equality in Education (AGEE)
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
Government Programs Back to Top
Project/Program
Distance Learning for Higher Education
Project/Program
Strengthening Malawi Education Systems (SMES)
Project/Program
Apatseni Mwayi Atsikana Aphunzire (AMAA)
Project/Program
Literacy Boost
Project/Program
Supporting Early Childhood Development Systems - Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia
Funding Initiative/Portfolio
Girls Secondary Education Trust Fund Malawi
Project/Program
Creating Healthy Approaches to Success (CHATS) Girls' Club Program
Project/Program
DREAMS
Project/Program
Private education and compliance with the Abidjan Principles
Funding Initiative/Portfolio
Equity with Quality and Learning at Secondary (EQUALS)
Project/Program
The Malawi National Reading Program
Research Project/Report/Study
Violence Against Children and Youth Survey
Project/Program
Secondary School Bursaries
Research Project/Report/Study
Impact Evaluation of Malawi Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP)
Network/Convening/Conference
Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ)
Project/Program
Link's Response to COVID-19
Project/Program
Girls’ Empowerment through Education and Health (ASPIRE)
Project/Program
Malawi Secondary Education Expansion for Development (SEED)
Transforming Education Summit National Statement of Commitment Back to Top
