Abstract

The study employed qualitative exploratory case study research design to analyse education key stakeholders’ perspectives in the implementation of secondary school fee abolition in Malawi. Two secondary schools in Shire Highlands Education Division, a boarding and a Community Day Secondary School, were purposively selected. Twenty seven participants, comprising parents, students, PTA members, head teachers and the EDM, were purposively selected. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis. Generally, the findings indicated that parents, students and the PTA did not know about the school fees abolition even when it was being implemented while head teachers and the EDM knew it but at the stage of implementation. The theoretical framework that informed the study was top-down policy implantation models by Sabatier (1986), in which authority, in this case government, simply gave directives to grassroots implementers without engaging them at stage of the fees abolition formulation. Therefore, a lot of challenges such as high boarding fees and the PTA fund which caused much drop out among poor students were encountered. Parents would like government to shoulder boarding fees and PTA fund so that themselves be paying the little ones: tuition fees, general purpose fund and text book fund so that their financial burdens may be lessened. Head teachers would like government to be purchasing teaching and learning resources for schools so that PTA fund should not be hiked frequently. The study may contribute to filling of gaps in knowledge in Malawi’s National Education Policy goal of promoting equitable access to secondary education to all children.

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School	: School of Education
Issued Date	: 2025

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