A joint study by the Centre for Social Research at the University of Malawi and the University of East Anglia has revealed key challenges affecting boys’ education in Malawi. These include a lack of parental support and motivation, harsh disciplinary practices, and bullying.

The findings were presented during a two-day workshop organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with UNESCO.

UNESCO Programme Specialist Mathias Eck noted that while there have been extensive efforts to support girls’ education, boys are increasingly becoming disengaged without much attention.

“In recent years, we have seen boys losing interest in school, but very little has been done because the focus has primarily been on girls. While promoting girls’ education is essential, we also need to ensure boys are not left behind,” said Eck.

Dr. Zizwa Msukuma, Director of Teacher Education and Development in the Ministry of Education, said the ministry would consider the findings seriously.

“We will sit down with other stakeholders such as the Malawi Institute of Education (MIE) to discuss how best to incorporate these findings into the school curriculum. We will also train teachers to promote inclusive education and ensure no learner is left behind,” he said.

Joseph Chunga, Director of the Centre for Social Research, explained that the study was conducted in Lesotho, Cambodia, and Malawi. In Malawi, the research covered Mzimba, Blantyre, Chikwawa, and Dedza districts, targeting boys aged 14 to 17 across 10 primary schools.

“Our dissemination of findings won’t stop at this workshop. We want to provide a platform for further discussion on the recommendations, so we can refine them before implementation,” Chunga said.

The study aimed to explore how gender norms and expectations—held by boys, teachers, and school staff—affect boys’ educational outcomes. It found that boys often receive limited educational support, mostly from their mothers, as fathers are frequently absent during critical moments.

The report also highlights other issues such as corporal punishment, bullying, peer pressure, and the lack of male role models in communities dominated by non-professional jobs.