• The government plans to connect 2,000 rural secondary schools to the Internet under the “Connect A School” project.
• Nearly 6 million rural learners lack access to digital tools, according to MACRA data.
•  Malawi aims to expand Internet penetration from 14.6% to 80% and broadband coverage to 95% by 2026.

Malawi faces severe digital access challenges in rural areas, and the government now uses digital education to strengthen youth skills, broaden opportunities and reduce the educational divide.

The government has deployed a plan to connect 2,000 rural secondary schools to the Internet under the “Connect A School” project, led by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA). Information and Communications Technology Minister Shadric Namalomba announced the initiative on Wednesday, December 3, during a visit to the ICT lab of the Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) of Phalula in Balaka.

Namalomba reaffirmed the government’s commitment to align the project with the Malawi 2063 national strategy, which designates digital literacy as a core development pillar. The targeted schools will receive computer labs and Internet access, which represent the backbone of the initiative.

MACRA acting director-general Mphatso Phiri said the program goes beyond infrastructure. She stated that “the ‘Connect A School’ program does not only aim to provide digital infrastructures, it also aims to offer young people digital skills, which are essential to access jobs in an increasingly connected world.”

Early results already appear. Francis Chimwaza, director of CDSS Phalula, said his school’s pass rate improved after the lab’s installation in 2023, with national exam scores rising from 17 to 19 points in the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE), according to government data.

The initiative comes as digital access remains limited across the country. A MACRA study reported by the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation shows that nearly 6 million rural students lack access to digital tools. A 2024 Paradigm Initiative report states that 46% of Malawians do not use the Internet because they do not know what it is, despite recent policy and structural reforms.

The government launched a five-year digital economy strategy (2021–2026) in 2021 to address these gaps. The plan aims to increase Internet access from 14.6% to 80% of the population and raise broadband coverage to 95% by 2026.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum