FINANCING FOR EQUITY
1. Overall Education Financing Mechanisms
2. Policies and Programmes to Provide Resources to Schools
3. Education Policies and Programmes to Provide Resources to Students and Families
4. Social Policies and Programmes to Provide Resources to Students and their Families
Compulsory and free education lasts 8 years (from 6 to age 13). Since 2018, secondary education is also tuition free including textbook and other general fees but students cover the cost of uniforms.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology holds the overall responsibility for education management and provision and receive 25% of the education budget while universities and colleges receive 35% of the budget. More than a third of the allocations (37%) of the education sector, however, go directly to the District Councils who lead the management of primary education. The allocation to each Council is based on the interGovernmental transfer formula to District Councils which is made up of 5 different sub-formulas consisting of 12 different variables.
In 2020, the education sector received USD 234.3 m (MWK 172.8 bn) 10.6% of the Government budget and 2.7% of the country’s GDP. The country has 9.2m school-aged children.
Ensure Inclusion for all Learners
This program was costed at USD 5.4m (MWK 3.9bn) or 3.3% of the education sector budget for 2018 and includes programs such as:
It is a program funded by the World Food Program and executed by the Ministry of Education targeted to primary school children in district with the highest food insecurity levels, dropout rates, and widest gender disparities. In 2018, 954,669 children or 10% of the school aged population benefited of this program. In 2017, the program was costed to represent 2% of the education budget with an expenditure of USD 3.3m (MWK 2.5bn)
Complementary Basic Education (CBE)
Provides access to basic education completion for marginalized out of school children and adults.
It is delivered by NGOs and financed by the Ministry of Education. In 2017/2018, It was estimated this program would represent 0.84% of the Ministry of Education budget. In 2012, the CBE was operating in 600 centers.
Girls Secondary Education Trust Fund Scholarships
Implemented by the Minister of Education with support from UNESCO and the private sector. It aims students from poor families finish secondary schools. The scholarship covers uniforms, school bags, sanitary pads, and stationary. In 2018, the Education Sector spent USD 1.08m (MWK 809m) or 0.23% of the education sector budget in scholarships and it benefited 5,500 girls or 0.05% of the school age population .
The Social Cash Transfer Program
It is implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare with support from the European Union, the German Government, the World Bank, Irish Aid and UNICEF. The program targets ultrapoor and labor constrained families (the poorest 10% of the population) and provides a monthly cash transfer of USD 10 (MWK 7000). A bonus of USD 1 or USD 2 (MWK 800 or MWK1500) is added for every child enrolled in primary and secondary school respectively. By December 2015, the program has reached 163,000 beneficiary households, an approximate 4% of the population.
