Lilongwe, Malawi , A generation of Malawian children is being left behind as the nation’s ambitious free education policy collapses under its own weight. While removing school fees has boosted enrollment, the system is now hemorrhaging under a staggering 95 students per teacherand 113 students per classroom – forcing thousands of children to learn under trees or in crumbling, overcrowded rooms.
Activists warn of a “recipe for disaster,” as rural schools resort to writing exams on chalkboards due to severe mismanagement and a budget that leaves barely 7% for new classrooms or materials.
The human cost is devastating. With 42% of girls married before 18, poverty is systematically pushing vulnerable children, especially young women, out of school and into labor or early childbirth. For survivors like 17-year-old Sakina Mbamba – who was shamed into hiding after a medical emergency – a return to education is a lifeline. But with pro
