Problems Facing The Education System In Malawi!

Malawi, a Southern African country, is experiencing an education crisis. Malawi’s primary school attendance rate is around 90%, however education quality is still inadequate. Students rarely achieve their educational goals, miss numerous days of school, and repeat grades regularly. Education is the key to breaking out of the poverty cycle and leading a more productive life for Malawian youngsters.

Overburdened education system

The education system in Malawi is overburdened, resulting in poor educational outcomes: low literacy rates and high dropout rates, particularly among young girls.

• Due to recurrent illness, job duties, and family obligations, students regularly enroll in and drop out of school

Free elementary school

Malawi’s government established free elementary school education in 1994. While this expanded access to school for all Malawian children, it also placed a significant burden on the educational system. Malawi continues to have one of the world’s worst teacher-to-student ratios (1:130), undersized classrooms, and a scarcity of materials. Teachers are afraid and are especially hard to come by in rural areas. In Malawi, towns must offer housing to recruit talented teachers, which is a price that many communities cannot afford. Even in larger cities, instructors are forced to teach in out-of-date (and sometimes dangerous) classrooms with limited resources.

Preschools are not available

Furthermore, children starting primary school are unprepared. Preschools are not as common as they are in the United States. Nearly half of preschool pupils are hungry, and teachers work for free without adequate resources. Primary school kids’ introduction into the educational system is regularly postponed beyond the prescribed age, and students commonly have to repeat classes — even if that isn’t adequate to improve literacy.

Dropouts

Less than half of Malawian elementary school children complete their education on time. Unfortunately, in Malawi, young children, particularly girls, are frequently pulled out of school to help support their families financially. To care for ailing or young family members, or because they are sick. Due to the increasing possibility of gender-based violence, girls may feel frightened commuting to and from school, particularly those who must travel great distances.

Overcrowding

Overcrowding in Malawi’s classrooms has a significant impact on the country’s high dropout rates. Many students believe that education is not worth it without one-on-one feedback from lecturers and access to tools. Parents may also believe that keeping their children at home is preferable to sending them to school because they are not meeting the minimum educational milestones for which they are paying. The majority of Malawian students (84 percent) do not complete secondary school. Children who live in poverty (which accounts for more than half of Malawi’s population) have a high rate of dropout and rarely return to secondary school. The few pupils who do return to high school frequently drop out; barely 8% of Malawian students finish secondary school. Help Catholic Connect Foundation to provide kids with basic education atleast.

Diseases

Lower education rates are linked to increased rates of childhood marriage, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS infection, and poverty, especially among women and girls. Furthermore, low education rates are linked to a variety of challenges, including poor sanitation and hygiene, malnutrition, and gender-based violence. Girls who do not have access to sanitary goods during their monthly cycle are more likely to stay home from school, missing out on crucial education.

Education, according to the United Nations, is the key to breaking out of poverty and achieving national development. Malawians (particularly women) who finish primary and secondary school can expect to earn a much better income, allowing their families to escape poverty. Smaller class sizes, access to resources like textbooks, pencils, and paper, and increased emotional support for teachers are all things that can improve the quality of education in Malawi.

Requirement

It is critical to overcoming the additional hurdles to school attendance in Malawi, in addition to offering better education. Children require nutritious meals as well as clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Malawian kids would be more likely to attend school if they had access to basic health care, including HIV treatment. For girls, having access to period supplies and a secure restroom might mean the difference between being able to attend class and missing numerous days.

It is our responsibility as Catholics to reform poorer communities around the world and provide them with the resources they need to rise beyond poverty. The Empowering Children Through Education initiative of the Catholic Connect Foundation helps boys and girls in Malawi overcome the cycle of poverty by offering quality education, nutritious meals, and Catholic spiritual development. Find out how you can help right now and donate to nonprofit organization for the same.