Malawi continues to face significant barriers to providing every child with a quality education, particularly as poverty and limited public resources place pressure on schools and families. Approximately 70% of the population lives below the international poverty line of $2.15 per day, based on the World Bank's 2019 household survey¹. Beyond access to education, many children are also struggling to develop foundational academic skills. Recent UNICEF education data indicates that only 19% of children aged 7–14 demonstrate foundational reading skills, while just 13% demonstrate foundational numeracy skills². These figures highlight why providing children with consistent access to safe, permanent classrooms and supportive learning environments is so important. Education is more than simply getting students through the school doors; children also need the stability and resources to build the skills that will shape their futures.
In the Southern Region of Malawi, children often face disruption in their education with poor facilities. In one city, around 800 primary school students have experienced significant disruption after losing access to their original school facilities. In 2008, this school began operating. However, the school had been operating on land belonging to a nearby vocational college, and on September 22, 2025, its 798 learners were displaced when the college reclaimed the premises. Students were temporarily transferred to another primary school, bringing them back to the longer commutes the community had originally worked to overcome and adding pressure to an already established school. The displacement has raised concerns about student attendance, academic progress, and safety during daily travel. Although the city council allocated new land and the Malawi Education Reform Programme (MERP) began constructing classroom blocks and sanitation facilities, the new school remains unfinished because of funding shortages.
This summer, HXP Builders will help move a Primary School closer to reopening by supporting the completion of the classroom facilities at its new permanent site. Building on the progress already made by MERP and local education authorities, HXP's contribution will help turn partially completed structures into functional learning spaces where students can finally return to their own community school. Restoring a permanent school will help reduce overcrowding at a Primary School, shorten daily journeys for children and create a safer, more dependable place for students to learn. By helping bring this long-awaited school closer to completion, HXP Builders will support a community's determination to make quality education accessible to the next generation.
Sources
¹ UNCTAD – Reducing Inequality and Poverty in Malawi: Policy Analyses and Options
² UNICEF Malawi – 2024/25 Education Budget Brief: Improving Learning Outcomes
³ Malawi Ministry of Education – 2024 Annual School Census Report
⁴ Blantyre District Council – Directorate of Education: Local Education Indicators