Secondary Schools in Malawi
Only primary education is free in Malawi. Secondary education has to be paid for. Secondary education begins in Form 1 and ends at Form 4. Technically, a student could end secondary school at age 18 but this is rare because many students have to retake at least one year at primary school.
Having gone through the Secondary Schools Sponsorship Programme, Starfish currently have 36 students who have gone on to study at University, Teacher Training College or Technical College.
Salima Secondary School linked to High Weald Academy
Examinations
Malawi National Examination Board (Maneb)
Junior Certificate Of Education (JCE).
Under the current system children in Malawi at the end of Form 2 sit the Junior Certificate of Education (JCE).
Students must pass at least 6 subjects including English. The subjects include the following:
Agriculture,Bible Knowledge, Biology, Chemistry, Chichewa, English,
Geography, Life Skills, Mathematics, Physical Science, Social
and Developmental Studies
Grades:
A = Excellent B= Very Good C= Good D= Average F= Fail
The overall pass rate for the 2019 JCE cohort is 84.76%
Malawi School Certificate Of Education (MSCE)
At the end of Form 4 the students sit the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE). This exam allows the student to choose to take examinations in a minimum of six subjects. They can take more, however it is the top six that are counted towards their final score.
Grading System
The MSCE has 9 grades, 1 being the highest and 9 the lowest.
1 = distinction, 2 = distinction, 3 = credit, 4 = credit, 5 = credit, 6 = credit, 7 = pass, 8 = pass, 9 = fail
To qualify for an MSCE certificate, a student should at least pass English and five other subjects, one of which must be at a credit level.
The top score that a student can receive on their MSCE is a 6, simply meaning that a student scored perfect A’s in six subjects i.e. grades of 1s and 2s which are also required to go to university.
The pass rate in 2019 was 50.36%.
Class Size
At present the government’s recommendation for class size is 50, but due to lack of space and teachers, many schools have to put two classes together making a maximum of 100 students.
Teachers
The teachers are moved around by the government or recommended for posts by the head teacher. The head teacher is able to make recommendations for promotion once a teacher has proved his or her ability to take on further responsibilities.
Teachers often live in staff accommodation on or near to the school to save transport and housing costs. Many schools see building staff accommodation as a priority as teachers do not often originate from the local area.
Salary
A teacher with a degree earns from 80,000 kwacha a month (approximately £133). Teachers who only have the MSCE would earn considerably less. Head teachers could earn up to 120,000 kwacha a month (approximately £200).
Secondary School Sponsorship Programme
Secondary education in Malawi is very expensive and many students who have been selected are unable to take up their places. For only £20 each month a child can be supported through secondary school and look forward to a better future. At the moment Starfish Malawi have over 150 sponsored students on the programme.
Please follow this link to find out how you can also sponsor a child.
Please click on the button below to download our Secondary Student Sponsorship Leaflet
Please click here and complete our Standing Order Form