Malawi: who governs education

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST)

Provides quality education and training to the nation through need-based curricula and application of science, technology and innovative techniques; oversees policy, curriculum, teacher training and access across schools, colleges and universities.

Bright Msaka SC · Minister of Education, Science and Technology
Verified as of 2026-07-31 Source

Francis Folley · Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology
Verified as of 2026-07-31 Source

Dr. Ken Ndala · Secretary for Education, Science and Technology
Verified as of 2026-07-31 Source

Ministry of Information and Communications Technology

Provides policy direction in production and dissemination of public information and coordinates and manages ICT development and services, including the Department of E-Government and government network infrastructure.

Shadrick Namalomba · Minister of Information and Communication Technology
Verified as of 2026-07-31 Source

Harold Msusa · Principal Secretary for Information and Communication Technology
Verified as of 2026-07-31 Source

Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA)

Regulates telecommunications, broadcasting, postal/courier services and spectrum in Malawi; administers the Universal Service Fund with the stated aim of access to basic communication services for all Malawians.

Mayamiko Nkoloma, PhD · Director General, MACRA
Verified as of 2026-07-31 Source

Malawi Institute of Education (MIE)

The nation's curriculum development centre: mandated to design, develop, monitor and evaluate the national school and primary teacher education curricula, publish curriculum materials, provide CPD and undertake educational research.

Jennings Kayira · Acting Executive Director, Malawi Institute of Education
Verified as of 2026-07-31 Source

Teaching Service Commission

Teacher employment and management body for the government teaching service (Government Teaching Service Commission Act, 1996); runs the online Teachers Recruitment Portal at recruitment.education.gov.mw.

Peter Cheyo · Executive Secretary, Teaching Service Commission
Verified as of 2026-07-31 Source

BEFIT (Building Education Foundations through Innovation and Technology)

Ministry of Education-led national scale-up of Imagine Worldwide's tablet-based literacy/numeracy model with per-school solar, targeting all public primary schools.

Reach: Year 1 (2023/24): 500 schools, 277,000 students; Year 2 (2024/25): +460 schools, 325,000 additional learners, every education district reached; target 3.8 million children annually by 2029.

Malawi Education Reform Programme (MERP)

Large-scale systemic intervention addressing physical and managerial aspects of primary education.

Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL)

Remedial education approach targeting children who are enrolled but not learning.

Free Secondary School Education (FSE)

Government initiative abolishing fees in public secondary schools, introduced under the post-Sept-2025 administration.

Connect-A-School (CAS)

MACRA Universal Service Fund program building ICT laboratories in schools.

Reach: Phase I: 75 ICT labs, program-reported 635,000+ students and 1.25M community members. Phase II targets 120 new smart ICT labs.

National Education Sector Investment Plan (NESIP)2020-2030

Fifth education sector plan, aligned to Malawi 2063 and SDG 4; pillars are access, quality/relevance and governance. BEFIT sits inside it.

National Child Online Protection Strategy2023-

MACRA-drafted strategy protecting children online, developed with ITU technical assistance and validated in 2023; principles include safe digital space, best interest of the child, and service-provider responsibility.