Higher education is key talking point in Malawi elections

Higher education has turned out to be a major talking point in Malawi’s upcoming elections scheduled for 16 September.

In the past two weeks, the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the main opposition party, have launched their manifestos with great pomp – and both have made electoral promises regarding higher education.

The MCP has promised to ensure that 40,000 low-income students receive access to loans while, in its manifesto, the DPP claimed it will do better than MCP in completing the Inkosi yaMakhosi M’lembwa University in Mzimba in the Northern Region, a project that has been stalling for years.

MCP’s key higher education promises

The MCP has made a long list of electoral promises which, if acted upon, could change the face of higher education in Malawi.

Among other things, MCP has promised to scale up technical and vocational education and training, or TVET, centres and to promote internships and digital literacy training, according to the Nyasa Times.

But, perhaps its biggest higher education promise is the pledge to ensure that more than 40,000 low-income students access loans to fund their education.

Alexander Kude, Malawi’s deputy country representative for the Commonwealth Students Association, has welcomed the pledge, referring to it as “thoughtful and responsive to the realities facing many young Malawians”.

Malawi has a long history of students who fail to complete their studies because they have limited finances. The MCP-led government has, over the past few years, made notable efforts to expand access to student loans.

“If this momentum is maintained and scaled up under such a policy [the electoral pledge to make student loans more accessible]”, said Kude, “many more students will find hope and solace in their educational journeys.”

Kude was quick to point out, however, that the major concern was the implementation of the plan.

“Often beautiful promises are made during campaign periods, but few see the light of day once leaders assume office,” he told University World News.

Dr Limbani Nsapato, a renowned education advocate in Malawi, has also expressed doubt that the MCP will deliver on its electoral promises. Nyasa Times quotes him as having said MCP’s education manifesto is “incomplete and unachievable” in five years.

DPP’s pledge to outshine MCP

At the heart of DPP’s higher education promises is the pledge to quickly complete construction of the Inkosi yaMakhosi M’lembwa University, formerly known as Mombera University.

DPP, which was in government before the MCP took over, views the building of the university as its brain child and blames MCP for abandoning it. Part of DPP’s manifesto states that the party seeks to “complete Inkosi yaMakhosi M’lembwa University which the DPP government started constructing and was abandoned by the MCP government”.

Construction of the Inkosi yaMakhosi M’lembwa University has been on the cards for many years but progress has been limited, a situation that University World News reported on in 2023.

Reflecting the wariness many Malawians now exhibit towards repeated promises to finish construction of the university, Kude said: “The promise to complete Inkosi yaMakosi M’lembwa University is visionary and should not only be stated, but fulfilled.” Both MCP and DPP have made public promises to finish construction of the university but, so far, neither of the two parties has delivered, he noted.

Construction of the university is crucial because, according to Kude, “Malawi currently has only six public universities, and increasing this number is essential for widening access to higher education.” He said a new university will decongest existing institutions and contribute to reducing illiteracy rates.

‘Supporting education is not enough; we need jobs’

Kude said that, while investing in education was crucial, political parties also need to focus on creating jobs. He observed that “Malawi continues to produce thousands of graduates every year” yet many of them eventually end up unemployed. “It is not enough to simply increase the number of graduates. We must also develop industries that can absorb and benefit from these graduates.”

He said Malawi should invest in sectors like the textiles, polymer and manufacturing industries so that graduates in engineering, science and technology can get jobs – instead of producing graduates for export or unemployment. He added that Malawi should create “a robust ecosystem where higher education directly feeds into economic productivity and self-reliance”.