The Malawi government says it is already reaping the benefits of integrating technology into schools, as attendance rises and learner performance improves.
The Southern African country has embarked on a nationwide rollout of e-learning through digital tools, prioritising pupils in public primary schools.
Among the ongoing projects is the Building Education Foundations through Innovation and Technology (BEFIT) programme, which targets 3.8 million children across 6 000 primary schools.
BEFIT is the flagship e-learning initiative, providing educational hardware such as low-cost tablet devices loaded with tailored software that adapts to a child’s skill level.
Bright Msaka, minister of education, science and technology, said the adoption of technology was already producing “visible results”.
He made the remarks during a tour of Mkwichi Primary School in the capital, Lilongwe.
“Government has already witnessed transformational outcomes in schools due to the technological advancements being introduced. The technology is also being used as a motivational tool to encourage learners to remain in school,” Msaka said.
Mkwichi is among the schools where the government, in collaboration with partners including the World Bank, is introducing e-learning.
The minister said introducing technology during the early years of education was important in building a strong foundation for learners’ future success.
“The ministry is ensuring learners are exposed to technology early enough.”
The government has set a target of connecting 2 000 rural primary, secondary and technical schools to the internet.
However, the joint School Connectivity Landscape Analysis Report released by the International Telecommunication Union and the United Nations Children’s Fund in April 2026 highlighted low internet connectivity in schools as a major obstacle to e-learning.
More than 80 percent of schools lack internet connectivity, while many of those connected experience frequent power outages.
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