A WORLD BANK STUDY Improving Higher Education in Malawi for Competitiveness the Global Economy he government of Malawi is currently investigating options to expand access to higher T education and improve its quality. The objective of Improving Higher Education in Malawi for Competitiveness in the Global Economy is to contribute to an improved understanding of the challenges confronted by the higher education subsector in Malawi. The report summarizes the key fi ndings of an in-depth study of factors affecting access and equity in the Malawian higher education subsector, the quality and relevance of educational outputs, the fi nancing of the sector, and the frameworks structuring governance of the sector and its management. The study was initiated by the World Bank in response to a request from the government of Malawi to support the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) in its pursuit of fi nancially sustainable policy options to increase equitable access to higher education and to improve the quality of higher education provision in alignment with the needs of the labor market. Improving Higher Education in Malawi for Competitiveness in the Global Economy ISBN 978-1-4648-0798-5 Michael M. Mambo, Muna Salih Meky, Nobuyuki Tanaka and Jamil Salmi SKU 210798 Improving Higher Education in Malawi for Competitiveness in the Global Economy A WORLD BANK STUDY Improving Higher Education in Malawi for Competitiveness in the Global Economy Michael M. Mambo, Muna Salih Meky, Nobuyuki Tanaka and Jamil Salmi © 2016 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org Some rights reserved 1 2 3 4 19 18 17 16 World Bank Studies are published to communicate the results of the Bank’s work to the development com- munity with the least possible delay. The manuscript of this paper therefore has not been prepared in accordance with the procedures appropriate to formally edited texts. This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, inter- pretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. 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ISBN (paper): 978-1-4648-0798-5 ISBN (electronic): 978-1-4648-0795-4 DOI: 10.1596/978-1-4648-0798-5 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been requested Improving Higher Education in Malawi for Competitiveness in the Global Economy http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0798-5 Contents Acknowledgments ix About the Authors xi Executive Summary xiii Abbreviations xxix Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Background 1 Methodology 2 Chapter 2 Access and Equity in Malawi’s Higher Education Sub-Sector 5 Introduction 5 Access and Equity 5 Factors Affecting Access and Equity 14 Equity in Higher Education 22 Enrollment Projections 28 Alternative Options for Secondary School Leavers 29 Conclusion 30 Programmatic Policy Options 32 Annexes for Chapter 2 33 Notes 39 Chapter 3 Quality and Relevance of Higher Education in Malawi 41 Introduction 41 Quality Assurance Policies in Malawi 42 Findings of the Study 42 Relevance of Higher Education 62 Conclusion 77 Programmatic Policy Options 78 Annexes for Chapter 3 80 Notes 83 Improving Higher Education in Malawi for Competitiveness in the Global Economy v http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0798-5 vi Contents Chapter 4 The Financing of Higher Education 85 Introduction 85 Findings of the Study 85 Resource Allocation 95 Resource Utilization 98 Costs Associated with the Projected Growth of Public Higher Education 112 Conclusion 112 Programmatic Policy Options 113 Annexes for Chapter 4 116 Notes 122 Chapter 5 Governance and Management in Malawi Universities 123 Introduction 123 Current Status of Higher Education Institutions in Malawi 123 Challenges of Governance and Management in Higher Education 130 Conclusion 140 Programmatic Policy Options 141 Annex for Chapter 5 143 Notes 143 References 145 Boxes 3.1 Mining in Malawi 66 3.2 Agricultural Development in Malawi 68 Figures ES.1 Enrollment in the Malawian Higher Education Institutions xiv ES.2 Enrollment in tertiary education per 100,000 inhabitants in selected sub-Saharan Africa countries xvi ES.3 Evolution of Enrollment by Provider and Gender—2008–11 xvii ES.4 Distribution of Academic Staff by Grade—2011 xviii ES.5 Higher Education Budget as a Share of the Total Education Budget xxi 2.1 Absorption of MSCE Graduates into the Higher Education System—2008–11 6 2.2 Enrollment by Type of Institution and Gender—2008–11 7 2.3 Enrollment by Institution—2008–11 9 2.4 Number of Nonresidential Students by Institution— 2008–11 10 Improving Higher Education in Malawi for Competitiveness in the Global Economy http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0798-5 Contents vii 2.5 Postgraduate Enrollment by Institution—2008–11 12 2.6 Percentage of Postgraduate Students by Institution— 2008–11 12 2.7 Proportion of Females Enrolled in Graduate Studies by Institution 14 2.8 Enrollment in Tertiary Education by Socioeconomic Status 25 2.9 Enrollment by District at UNIMA for 2009 and 2010 28 3.1 Staffing Trends by Institution—2008–11 44 3.2 Student-Lecturer Ratios by Institution by Year—2008–11 44 3.3 Distribution of Staff by Qualification—2011 46 3.4 Staffing Levels by Designation by Institution—2011 47 3.5 Availability of Teaching and Learning Materials by Institution—2011 53 3.6 Availability of ICT Facilities by Institution—2011 55 3.7 Graduate Output by Institution—2008–11 57 3.8 Withdrawal Rates by Faculty and Type of Student— Chancellor College—2010 59 3.9 Withdrawal Rates by Type of Student, Faculty, and Gender: MZUNI—2010 60 3.10 Number of Withdrawals by Reason and Gender: Polytechnic—2010 60 3.11 Output of Master’s Graduates by Gender and College—2010–11 63 4.1 Trends in Subventions to Public Universities—2008–11 86 4.2 Percentage Distribution of Sources of Income in Private Universities—2008–10 90 4.3 Direct Aid to Higher Education in Selected African Countries, Annual Average Commitments—2001–06 94 4.4 Funding Gaps in Subvention, and Internally Generated Income 96 4.5 Surplus/Deficit in Public Institutions—2008–10 101 4.6 Unit Costs by Institution—2008–10 103 4.7 Beneficiaries and Loans Disbursed—2006–10 110 4.8 Number of Nonresidential Students by Institution— 2008–11 111 Tables ES.1 Summary Policy Matrix: Main Reforms and Measures Suggested in the Study xxvi 2.1 Enrollment (Total and per 100,000 Inhabitants) by Gender—2008–11 8 2.2 Cumulative Enrollment by Field of Study—2008–11 11 2.3 Composition of Staff by Qualification—2011 13 Improving Higher Education in Malawi for Competitiveness in the Global Economy http://dx.doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-0798-5 viii Contents 2.4 Comparison of Female Enrollment by Field of Study— 2006 and 2011 24 2.5 Enrollment Projections by Institution 29 2.6 Policy