Social commentator and education expert Ziliro Mchulu has questioned restrictions on school contributions under Malawi’s Free Secondary Education Policy, saying they are making it difficult for schools to organise educational trips.
Mchulu said the policy’s funding arrangements focus on core activities such as teaching, learning, and assessment, while schools are expected to find sponsors for activities requiring additional funding.
He made the argument in an opinion piece ahead of the new academic year, saying free secondary education should not limit students’ opportunities to learn outside the classroom.
Mchulu referred to a ministerial statement in Parliament in which Education Minister Bright Msaka said the Ministry of Education, with support from the Ministry of Finance, would provide matching funds to public schools and the Malawi National Examinations Board to support the running of schools and administration of examinations.
According to Mchulu, the funding arrangement does not adequately cater to activities such as field trips, sports visits, inter-school debates, drama festivals, and educational visits.
He said such activities form part of holistic learning because they allow students to connect classroom lessons with practical experiences.
Mchulu cited visits to power stations, game reserves, museums, universities, and industrial sites as examples of activities that can help learners understand concepts that might otherwise remain abstract in the classroom.
He said the impact could be greater on students in rural areas, who may have fewer opportunities to travel to cities and visit institutions outside their communities.
Mchulu also warned that relying on sponsorship could create inequalities between schools, arguing that urban and private schools were more likely to have access to organisations willing to support educational trips.
He questioned how schools in rural areas would consistently secure sponsors for trips to places such as universities, museums, and national parks.
On sports, Mchulu criticised guidance, encouraging schools to organise games within clusters so that students can walk to venues.
He argued that some school clusters cover considerable distances, particularly in rural areas, and said travelling for competitions exposes students to new environments and helps develop teamwork, discipline, and resilience.
Mchulu further raised concerns about the burden on teachers who accompany students to sporting activities, arguing that requiring them to walk long distances to supervise games could affect their motivation.
He acknowledged that the government’s intention was to protect families from additional education costs but said a blanket prohibition on contributions could also deny students opportunities that parents who can afford them would otherwise support.
Mchulu, therefore, called for a more flexible approach that would allow parents to contribute towards educational trips without treating such payments as school fees.
He also suggested that sponsors should supplement such contributions rather than schools being expected to depend entirely on sponsorship.
Mchulu said the Ministry of Education should review the implementation of the policy before the new academic year begins in September 2026.
He maintained that expanding access to free secondary education should go hand in hand with maintaining the quality and breadth of learning available to students.
Mchulu said the policy’s funding arrangements focus on core activities such as teaching, learning, and assessment, while schools are expected to find sponsors for activities requiring additional funding.
He made the argument in an opinion piece ahead of the new academic year, saying free secondary education should not limit students’ opportunities to learn outside the classroom.
Mchulu referred to a ministerial statement in Parliament in which Education Minister Bright Msaka said the Ministry of Education, with support from the Ministry of Finance, would provide matching funds to public schools and the Malawi National Examinations Board to support the running of schools and administration of examinations.
According to Mchulu, the funding arrangement does not adequately cater to activities such as field trips, sports visits, inter-school debates, drama festivals, and educational visits.
He said such activities form part of holistic learning because they allow students to connect classroom lessons with practical experiences.
Mchulu cited visits to power stations, game reserves, museums, universities, and industrial sites as examples of activities that can help learners understand concepts that might otherwise remain abstract in the classroom.
He said the impact could be greater on students in rural areas, who may have fewer opportunities to travel to cities and visit institutions outside their communities.
Mchulu also warned that relying on sponsorship could create inequalities between schools, arguing that urban and private schools were more likely to have access to organisations willing to support educational trips.
He questioned how schools in rural areas would consistently secure sponsors for trips to places such as universities, museums, and national parks.
On sports, Mchulu criticised guidance, encouraging schools to organise games within clusters so that students can walk to venues.
He argued that some school clusters cover considerable distances, particularly in rural areas, and said travelling for competitions exposes students to new environments and helps develop teamwork, discipline, and resilience.
Mchulu further raised concerns about the burden on teachers who accompany students to sporting activities, arguing that requiring them to walk long distances to supervise games could affect their motivation.
He acknowledged that the government’s intention was to protect families from additional education costs but said a blanket prohibition on contributions could also deny students opportunities that parents who can afford them would otherwise support.
Mchulu, therefore, called for a more flexible approach that would allow parents to contribute towards educational trips without treating such payments as school fees.
He also suggested that sponsors should supplement such contributions rather than schools being expected to depend entirely on sponsorship.
Mchulu said the Ministry of Education should review the implementation of the policy before the new academic year begins in September 2026.
He maintained that expanding access to free secondary education should go hand in hand with maintaining the quality and breadth of learning available to students.
