Malawi is set to revolutionize education through a major digital push, with government planning to connect 2,000 schools to the internet, covering primary, secondary, and technical institutions.
Minister of Information and Communications Technology Shadric Namalomba told Parliament on Wednesday that the initiative aims to equip students with essential digital skills and improve access to online learning resources.
“We will be connecting 2,000 schools with the internet countrywide,” he said.
The project forms part of a broader government strategy to integrate digital technology into public services, aiming to modernize learning environments and support skills development aligned with national economic goals.
Namalomba said technical colleges are a key focus, providing youth with practical skills in fields like plumbing and electrical engineering while ensuring access to online resources.
“Technical colleges are very strategic to capacitate our youth with technical skills,” he explained.
The minister also highlighted plans to extend connectivity to 530 public institutions, including health facilities, police stations, and agricultural offices, to improve efficiency and service delivery.
“We are going to extend the same project to 530 public institutions,” he said.
On infrastructure, Namalomba acknowledged challenges with network reliability and coverage, noting government efforts to build additional telecom towers and encourage new mobile operators to enter the market.
“The gap which is there right now is around 2,000 towers,” he said.
He confirmed that fibre connectivity now reaches all district councils, but emphasized that last-mile connections to schools and communities remain a priority.
“What remains is to have internet service providers take that data to individual communities,” he said.
The initiative is also designed to promote digital governance and cyber security training across institutions, ensuring that connected schools can operate efficiently and safely online.
“We are transitioning institutions to digital operations and training senior officials in cyber security,” Namalomba noted.
Calling for private sector support, the minister urged investors to partner with government in bridging connectivity gaps, stressing that achieving nationwide digital access is feasible with collaboration.
“I want to invite investors to come and join us… the target is doable,” he said.
