Malawi
Promoting a Self-reliant Approach to Basic Education Development in Africa Through Research and Dialogue
An investigation into the relationship between selected donor educational inputs and rates of achievement at the basic education level in the South Western Educational Division in Malawi
A research proposal by
Demis Kunje
Dorothy C Khonje
Nellie M Mbano
July, 2005
Introduction
In Malawi, free primary education was introduced in 1994 soon after attaining a democratic government. Enrollments soared from 1.2 million in 1994 to 3.0 million in 1997. This rapid increase in enrollment brought about an unprecedented stress on the existing resources in the sector. Pupil-teacher ratios, pupil-classroom ratios, pupil-text book ratios and most other educational indicators reached unacceptable levels. The quality of education was thus seen as having plummeted while increased access seemed to have been the only gain. In an effort to address the problem MoE recruited about 20,000 temporary teachers and gave them a two week orientation course before sending them into schools. Development partners were sympathetic to the situation and they assisted the government in various ways. Policy documents such as the PIF, the MPRSP, the HIV/AIDS in Education Policy and others have been crafted to direct and support the Free Primary Education effort and the eventual attainment of EFA goals.
In 2004, a decade later gains such as a decrease in the number of untrained teachers, decreasing disparities between boys and girls, increased access and provision of text books are noteworthy. However drop-out rates (15%), completion rates (30%), attendance rates (12%) and pass rates (30%) seem to have remained at unacceptable levels. The system seems little able to keep children in school and the children are not able to reach acceptable levels of literacy and numeracy even when they stay on in school.
An investigation into the relationship between selected donor educational inputs and rates of achievement at the basic education level in the South Western Educational Division in Malawi
A research proposal by
Demis Kunje
Dorothy C Khonje
Nellie M Mbano
July, 2005
Introduction
In Malawi, free primary education was introduced in 1994 soon after attaining a democratic government. Enrollments soared from 1.2 million in 1994 to 3.0 million in 1997. This rapid increase in enrollment brought about an unprecedented stress on the existing resources in the sector. Pupil-teacher ratios, pupil-classroom ratios, pupil-text book ratios and most other educational indicators reached unacceptable levels. The quality of education was thus seen as having plummeted while increased access seemed to have been the only gain. In an effort to address the problem MoE recruited about 20,000 temporary teachers and gave them a two week orientation course before sending them into schools. Development partners were sympathetic to the situation and they assisted the government in various ways. Policy documents such as the PIF, the MPRSP, the HIV/AIDS in Education Policy and others have been crafted to direct and support the Free Primary Education effort and the eventual attainment of EFA goals.
In 2004, a decade later gains such as a decrease in the number of untrained teachers, decreasing disparities between boys and girls, increased access and provision of text books are noteworthy. However drop-out rates (15%), completion rates (30%), attendance rates (12%) and pass rates (30%) seem to have remained at unacceptable levels. The system seems little able to keep children in school and the children are not able to reach acceptable levels of literacy and numeracy even when they stay on in school.