By Edwin Mauluka

Malawi Members of Parliament have urged the government to safeguard the quality of primary and secondary education as Malawi prepares to abolish school fees beginning January 2026.

Mzimba North East legislator Catherine Gotani Hara asked the Ministry of Education to outline its quality assurance measures as the country transitions to free education at both levels.

Hara’s question followed a ministerial statement by Minister of Education, Science and Technology Bright Msaka, who detailed the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration’s campaign promise on free secondary education.

“What we need is not just the schools; we also need quality education,” Hara said. She then asked what the government will do to ensure teachers are properly motivated and students encouraged to stay in school, noting that despite free primary education, absenteeism remains high.

In response, Msaka assured Parliament that quality remains a central pillar of the DPP government’s education agenda.

“We are not only looking at numbers; we are looking at the quality of the citizen of tomorrow. We are going to educate quality Malawians who will make Malawi competitive on the international scale,” he said, adding that the ministry has a dedicated department responsible for enforcing standards in education.

Mwanza West legislator Maureen Chitsulo Chirwa welcomed the government’s move to abolish the school development fund but urged the ministry to ensure timely disbursement of resources once free secondary education takes effect.

Msaka promised that the government will release funds on time, saying education is a top priority.

“Having removed the school development fund, which in my respectful opinion was being abused, we want to assure the nation that we will deliver on our commitment to remove the burden of fees from parents, especially those struggling to educate the next generation. Schools will continue running well,” he emphasised.

He also reiterated that the abolition of school fees becomes effective January 2026. Responding to a question from Lilongwe Demera MP Monica Chayang’anamuno, Msaka advised students who are refusing to pay current tuition fees to settle their balances for the ongoing term.

“Let them be assured that moving forward from January 1, 2026, they will not be expected to pay fees. So if there is a little bit of money, let them finish off their dues to the schools,” Msaka said.

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