Following democratic elections in 1994, the Government of Malawi embarked on an ambitious programme of free primary education (FPE). As a result, access to education increased dramatically. However FPE was enacted before a comprehensive policy framework had been developed examining the resourcing required and other implications of the policy.
The framework that was developed later had omitted to include key stakeholders in its formulation and was largely donor-driven. Questions arise, therefore, about the extent to which the education policy is responding to citizen’s needs and contributing towards the achievement of poverty alleviation goals. The paper argues that many of the identified dilemmas and disjunctures between policy intention and practice could be overcome through a more inclusive and participatory educational policy process.
