An analytical report on the status of financing of secondary education in Malawi

Equity in the distribution of public resources is one of the dimensions of the Malawi economy that faces various trade-offs. Public services such as education are usually unequally distributed, and if so, there is a compromise on quality or efficiency. This article gives an assessment of the impact of the education funding scenario on equity and efficiency in Malawi’s secondary education. Education policy reform through the introduction of Free Primary Education brought an increase in access to basic education for many Malawian school-aged children but the increased enrolment brought insurmountable strain on the education system, particularly the secondary subsector. Inadequacies in human and financial resources available for the running of Secondary Schools have affected the quality of service delivery in such schools. Furthermore, significant disparities among Conventional and Community Day Secondary Schools have been a major issue of concern in recent years. The article concludes by providing some policy recommendations.