The Ministry's main purpose in providing secondary education is to prepare students for employment in both the formal and informal sectors and to prepare them for further studies in various fields at the tertiary level. This is achieved by providing equitable access to quality and relevant education which is properly managed and governed.

To improve quality and equitable access in secondary education; strengthening science in the secondary curriculum; improving special education and developing an effective and efficiently managed national secondary education.

To implement national education policies, plans, standards and secondary curriculum that teach a wide range of skills which reflect local needs and contribute to national development.

1. To increase access and equity to secondary education for all eligible students with particular focus on girls and vulnerable groups
2. To improve the quality and relevance of secondary education
3. To improve governance and management of secondary education by strengthening leadership capacities at school, cluster and division levels for improved learning outcomes

• Formulation of national education policies and plans in conjunction with the Planning Department and to ensure that these are implemented by the divisions and schools
• Coordination and monitoring of all Secondary education activities in the country
• To interpret and enforce legislation and statutes governing the management and conduct of secondary education
• Selection of students to public secondary schools on merit basis
• Handling student discipline cases
• Attending board meetings of secondary schools
• Handling the National Bursary/scholarship Schemes
• Supervision, coordination, monitoring and advising on educational activities in various secondary institutions to promote and encourage good practices among teachers and school managers
• Monitoring administration and conduct of national examinations
• Postings of Headteachers and teachers
• Liaising with stakeholders, NGOs and development partners on various programmes
• Promotion of girls' education at the secondary level
• Coordinating and monitoring construction, expansion and rehabilitation of secondary schools

Secondary Education Directorate sub-sector continues to register achievements in some key areas despite being equally set back by persistent challenges in areas of Access and Equity, Quality and Relevance and Governance and Management. The Ministry has embarked on the secondary expansion drive.

(a) Infrastructure Development

• Construction of new secondary schools: The Secondary Education Expansion for Development (SEED) Project; Schools of Excellence starting with six (6), one in each education division
• Expansion of existing secondary schools: EQUALS Project (103 secondary schools); ISEM Project (40 Day Secondary Schools); and other partners such as Let's Build Foundation

(b) Strengthening system level strategic reforms for efficient secondary education

• The Simulation model
• Review of the Secondary education financing mechanism
• Public Private Partnership arrangement
• Introduction of more double shift schools
• Open and Digital Secondary Education

(c) Provision of bursaries to increase access to secondary education

(d) Reforms

• E-registration
• E-payment
• E-selection and placement systems
• Establishment of Board of Governors

The Projects have tackled all three thematic areas: Access and Equity, Quality and Relevance, and Governance and Management. The projects include:

(i) SEED (Secondary Education Expansion for Development)

• Access and Equity: Through construction of new secondary schools
• Quality and Relevance: Through provision of Teaching and Learning Materials

(ii) EQUALS

• Access and Equity: Construction; Provision of Bursaries; e-selection and placement; Gender Based Violence Education
• Quality and Relevance: Training of Teachers; procurement of Teaching and Learning Materials
• Management: Training of Headteachers; Development of policy documents and guidelines

(iii) Improving Secondary Education in Malawi (ISEM)

• Access and Equity: Through construction
• Quality and Relevance: Through CPDs
• Management: Through Decentralization and training of teachers