The President of Malawi declares free education and reassures his citizens about the food crisis economy

Malawi President Peter Mutharika announced the adoption of free education at the primary and secondary levels starting in January 2026, stressing at the same time that his government is in the process of importing 200,000 tons of corn from neighboring Zambia to cover the needs of more than 4 million citizens who suffer from food insecurity.

Mutharika’s statements – who was sworn in on October 4 as the country’s seventh president after winning the presidential elections held in mid-September – came during his participation in an annual cultural festival for the “Lomwe” people in Thyolo District, south of the country.

The Malawi President said that education represents “the key to national development,” calling on parents to ensure that all school-age children enroll in education.

He added, “Parents will have no excuse for not sending their children to school. We want our children to learn, because without education there can be no development.”

Regarding the food crisis, Mutharika reassured his citizens that his government had completed the necessary arrangements to secure supplies, noting that he had dispatched the Minister of Agriculture to Zambia to finalize the corn import deal.

Wider context

These promises come at a time when Malawi faces complex economic and social challenges, most notably increasing poverty rates and the dependence of a large segment of the population on traditional agriculture, which is affected by climate fluctuations.

Observers believe that the combination of free education and ensuring food security represents an early test of the new president’s policies and his ability to transform promises into tangible achievements.