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Malawi |
EDUCATION
Chaotic! Disastrous! Corrupt! Disappointing! Poor! It’s gone to the dogs!
It’s sad!
All these are expressions to explain what’s happening with Malawi’s
current education system
The fact is: Malawi’s education system is currently in a mess. No one knows the direction the education system of the country is taking. Mavuto Matuta, a nineteen-year-old youth in Lilongwe says: «Education in Malawi is poor, compared to the past. There’s no hope of being educated in Malawi».
Malawi’s education system is divided into three stages — Primary, Secondary and Tertiary education. Primary education runs for a period of eight years from Standard One to Standard Eight. Secondary education lasts for four years, from Form I to Form IV. Having completed secondary education, the student can go on to the University of Malawi or to other colleges for specialised courses. (Tertiary education). — At least, that’s the theory, but what’s the reality?
A changing phase
Education in Malawi has undergone a tremendous change depending on who was ruling the country. First under the British with their system of education. Then, following independence in July 1964, Malawi developed its own education system meant to fulfil the demands of the civil service and all government-related jobs. The concern was to develop blue-collar workers who were ready to take over from the former colonial masters. English remains the official business language. Chichewa, on the other hand is the official national language.
In 1994, the United Democratic Front (UDF) government introduced free primary education. Although primary education was made free, it did not mean compulsory, taking into account that there is no enforcing mechanism to ensure that all parents send children of school-going age to school.
Mavuto further says: «How do you expect the education system to improve when the basics are poorly done?» Mavuto is referring to the standard of teaching in primary and secondary schools. Currently, in primary school, from Standard One up to Standard Four, most subjects are taught in Chichewa. From Standard Five, English becomes the language used in teaching. This creates problems for primary school pupils who have to adjust themselves to learning in another language. Secondary education has seen its own changes with students no longer using their brains to think but depending on the «spirits of their forefathers» to tick the right answers. Such is the edu-cation system, which has to breed new entrants for the University of Malawi!
And what about tertiary education? Due to a lowering of standards in the education system at both primary and secondary levels, the University of Malawi has had to introduce entrance examinations. Passing the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE), which used to be an equivalent of Ordinary Level examinations, is no longer a guarantee that one will be selected to the University of Malawi. In the past, passing the MSCE with good grades meant that one would automatically be selected for the University of Malawi. But today, one can pass the MSCE and still fail to pass the University entry examinations.
A litany of problems
Under-qualified teachers, little commitment to education, indiscipline in schools, over enrolment, unsuitable learning environment, lack of teachers, under-funding of the education sector by the government, lack of supervision, delays in releasing school calendars — the list is endless.
On 30 December 1999, the Nation newspaper quoted the Minister of Education, Dr. Ken Lipenga, as saying: «The learning environment in most schools is unsuitable. We do not have enough proper classrooms, laboratories, libraries and teachers’ houses — this has contributed to poor performance.» And students from the Polytechnic, (a constituent college of the University of Malawi), writing to the editor of the Malawi News in the 18 December 1999 issue said: «College libraries are just white elephants. The library collection is getting poorer and poorer. Our main collection comprises books not worth being in a college because they’re outdated. The only useful books we have, are kept on a shelf called a “Short Loan Shelf”, where one book has to be shared amongst more than 300 students. There are no lecturers for some subjects. Meals have gone from bad to worse, with both quality and quantity being very poor».
In 1994, the United Democratic Front (UDF) government declared primary education free. Rodgers Newa, Executive Director of Centre for Youth and Children Affairs (CEYCA) says: «The present status of education is welcome, especially free primary education (FPE). However, the curriculum is not preparing the children very well for technical aspects at an early age».
The introduction of FPE led to crash programmes in teacher training. Teachers, even without the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) were recruited. They attended a three-week crash programme and were made teachers after three weeks. A normal teacher-training programme is for a period of two years. The crash programme has resulted in the production of half-baked teachers. In addition, teaching standards in teaching institutions have become very low with the passing of time.
Whose to blame?
One teacher says: «Everybody must take some share of the blame — teachers, students, parents, the Ministry of Education, and the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB).»
Rodgers Newa puts it this way: «There is a feeling that the government is simply paying lip service to improve the education system. Look — the University of Malawi is frequently closed for lack or resources». And even if one is selected for entry into the university, it’s no guarantee you’ll actually get there, at least, not immediately. It may take a year to gain admittance. A three-year course may take longer than three years, not because the student failed, but because the University was closed.
Furthermore, formulation of education policies by the government is done hastily and there is no consultation. In its campaign manifesto, the UDF promised to build 250 new secondary schools. But all the UDF did was to convert 250 Malawi Distance Education Centres (MCDE ) into Community Day Secondary Schools — a change in name only. This particular ed-ucation infrastructure also caters for primary education. Thus, in the morning there is a primary school going on in the building, and in the afternoon it becomes a secondary school.
Others put the blame on the mushrooming private school sector. It’s interesting to note that education has become a fast selling business and not a training centre. Even those who have never been to school have become school owners. These private schools, many of which operate from buildings which were initially bars, have nothing to do with education. Their interest remains that of making the most profit possible from their «business». Many private schools charge around US $150 per term per student.
The Ministry of Education does not have regulatory measures to monitor private schools. Dr. Ken Lipenga, the Minister of Education says: «There is need for appropriate legislation so the government can monitor what is happening in private schools». All the Ministry can do at the moment is to issue licences for these schools to exist. The criteria for issuing licences to private owners of schools, remains obscure.
Proposals for change
At the beginning of this year, President Muluzi said he would appoint a Presidential Committee of Inquiry into 1999 MSCE examination disaster which saw 87% of the candidates fail. According to the Nation, the Presidential Committee will aim to determine the problems regarding the MSCE examinations. «Are the problems with the parents, the students, the teachers, the examinations, the curriculum, the school system or with what?» Muluzi is quoted as saying.
But our friend, Mavuto Matuta, is not entirely convinced. He says: «The Presidential Commission of Inquiry is nothing. Members of the Commission are the ones who are corrupt. We need to prevent corruption. There’s a lot of cheating.»
Rodgers Newa, however, says: «The Presidential Committee is welcome. It’s a positive move. The edu-cation system in Malawi is a disaster. People fail at all levels.» Rodgers feels that the Inquiry should not be restricted just to the MSCE examinations, but should look at the education system as a whole.
Proposals have been made regarding the future of education in Malawi. Donors have raised a number of points: The Ministry of Education must take the lead in education about HIV/AIDS, for the youth; the Ministry must also assess the labour requirements of the country and devise the curriculum to meet these requirements; the standard of tertiary education must be improved.
Other areas to be tackled include: The need for an overall education strategy; improving teacher training; improving facilities in the technical colleges; ensuring proper accountability; publishing examinations results as quickly as possible. (In 1999, marking of the MSCE examinations was done in September and results were sent to the Ministry of Education, but the results were only announced three months later in December).
The fact is, Malawi needs to move out of the mess the country has landed itself in. We need serious political leaders who have the education of the people at heart. President Muluzi has been encouraging people to engage in business, but without quality education, all businesses are bound to fail. Malawians hope for better education which can meet their current needs.
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