The case for non‐formal vocational education for out‐of‐school youths in rural Malawi

Abstract

Malawi's literacy rate for people aged 15 years and above is estimated at 48,3 percent. The high level of illiteracy impedes the exchange of information and so also socio‐economic development. The government of Malawi launched the functional literacy programme so that those without formal education could achieve numeracy and literacy and also education for socio‐economic development. The programme has failed to attract the youth, whose major concern is getting a job or self‐employment that would enable them to earn a cash income. It is argued here that literacy education should feed into apprenticeship training and that this would help to alleviate poverty in the country.

Notes

The author acknowledges Unicef's funding of research for this article.

Senior Lecturer in Rural Sociology, University of Malawi.