By Zenak Matekenya

Dedza, June 3, Mana: Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima has attributed the 8.7 percent rise in female participation in this year’s Junior Certificate Education (JCE), to national commitment to ensuring equity and access to education for all.

Wirima made the remarks on Tuesday when she inspected the start of the 2025 JCE at Linthipe Secondary School and Nthulu Community Day Secondary School in Dedza district.

The minister, said the schools that government introduced under Secondary Education Expansion for Development (SEED) project to increase access to secondary education, for young Malawians especially girls, are materializing.

“We introduced 72 secondary schools under SEED project and most of them this is their maiden year to administer the exams. This is encouraging because we have noted an increase in girl’s participation in secondary education,” said the Minister.

Commenting on the development, Inkosi Kamenyagwaza 5 of Dedza commended the ministry of education for the efforts in promoting education mainly for girls.

He further said he deliberately ensured that all school going children in his area report for classes as a way of promoting Malawi2063 through education.

“The rise in number for the females sitting for exams this year is encouraging. Our target as an area here in Kamenyagwaza is to ensure that all learners continue with studies up to form four,” he said.

He said village development committees and village heads work hand in hand with schools by conducting periodic roll calls to ensure all leaners are in school.

“When they are not found at school, a follow up is made to know their where about, and child marriages are not entertained in the area,” he said.

He added that best performing learners are awarded with various materials including travel bags for those selected to national secondary schools.

Girl’s school dropout in Malawi is fueled by early marriages, long distances to schools and poor infrastructure among others.

A total of 166,123 candidates will sit for the JCE examinations nationwide this year, against a total of 154,504 last year.