Language of Instruction Country Profile: Malawi

Of these, 13 are indigenous and four are non-indigenous. Chichewa is the most widely spoken indigenous language, with 6.5 million speakers, followed by Lomwe, Yao, and Tumbuka. English, the official language, is spoken by 880,000 Malawians, primarily in major cities, and is often used as a second language. The official language of instruction policy in Malawi has undergone significant changes. In 1996, a directive from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology stated that the language of instruction for Grades 1-4 should be the mother tongue, with Chichewa and English taught as subjects. However, the Education Act of 2013 reversed this policy, stating that the medium of instruction in all public schools and colleges should be English. Despite this policy, most students begin their education in Chichewa, with English taught as a second language from Grade 1 to 4, and instruction in English from Grade 5 onward. The National Reading Strategy, developed by a taskforce including representatives from the Ministry of Education, USAID, implementing partners, and NGOs, offers further guidance on the language of instruction. The strategy proposes a sole focus on English, Chichewa, and mathematics in Grades 1 and 2, and developed reading standards for teaching Chichewa as well as English as a second language in Grades 1 to 4. In practice, instruction often takes place in Chichewa, with English taught as a second language, and teachers may use students' mother tongue language if they are able. The linguistic landscape of Malawi is complex, with a range of languages spoken across the country. Chichewa is the most widely spoken language, followed by Lomwe, Yao, and Tumbuka. English is the official language, but is primarily used in major cities and as a second language. The official language of instruction policy has undergone significant changes, with the current policy stating that instruction should take place in English from Grade 5 onward. However, in practice, instruction often takes place in Chichewa, with English taught as a second language. The National Reading Strategy offers guidance on the language of instruction, proposing a sole focus on English, Chichewa, and mathematics in Grades 1 and 2. The strategy also developed reading standards for teaching Chichewa as well as English as a second language in Grades 1 to 4. The implementation of this policy is hindered by teachers' low levels of proficiency in English and a lack of teaching materials in English. The Minister of Education has acknowledged that the conditions are not in place for implementation of the policy and has expressed that full implementation should wait until these conditions are cultivated. The linguistic context of Malawi is characterized by a diverse range of languages, with 17 languages currently in use. Chichewa is the most widely spoken indigenous language, followed by Lomwe, Yao, and Tumbuka. English is the official language, but is primarily used in major cities and as a second language. The official language of instruction policy has undergone significant changes, with the current policy stating that instruction should take place in English from Grade 5 onward. However, in practice, instruction often takes place in Chichewa, with English taught as a second language. The National Reading Strategy offers guidance on the language of instruction, proposing a sole focus on English, Chichewa, and mathematics in Grades 1 and 2.