Malawi Situation Analysis of Evaluation Practices on Non-Formal Education (NFE) and Literacy Programmes: reinforcing national capacities to evaluate non-formal education and literacy programmes for young people and adults

Under the current political dispensation in Malawi, education is naturally perceived and observed as a human right. As a way of improving literacy levels and more particularly in response to the social demand for increased access to primary education at the turn of Malawi’s politics from one party era to the current multiparty politics in 1994, Malawi adopted the Free Primary Education (FPE) policy.

This study has been initiated by the UNESCO Institute for Education (UIE) within the context of a project on ‘reinforcing national capacities to evaluate NFE and literacy programmes for youth and adults.’ The project is funded by the 2005 UNESCO extra-budgetary programme on capacity building for EFA programme.

The study argues that Malawi’s intention is to develop by enhancing productivity to create wealth and it notes that in order to achieve this, the government has to:

• intensify literacy programmes among the youth and adults
• develop a workable and realistic Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system which is responsive to the needs and challenges at all levels
• decentralisation policy in Malawi has brought new implementation structures which must also be involved in the development and implementation of M&E
• last but not least, there is a need for Malawi to learn from other partners on best practices in M&E
  
• assist in the development of an M& E system that will oversee the implementation of EFA goals
• highlight the linkage between formal and non-formal education.