Higher education policy management and governance in Malawi

Policy, management and governance of higher education and higher education Institutions is an integral part in planning, implementation and provision of education services in the sub-sector in Africa. Historically, the roles and functions in the sub-sector have been fragmented and uncoordinated. This has been a result of evolution in diversified stakeholders as well as the multi-disciplinary nature of service providers in Higher Education in Africa and greater engagement of a wider variety of actors. A functional review undertaken in Malawi led to the creation of the Directorate of Higher Education as an independent directorate in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in 2009, with the sole function of managing policies in the higher education sub-sector. Since the inception of the Directorate for Higher Education, it has overseen the establishment of three public universities, in addition to the University of Malawi, the only public university since Malawi’s independence in 1964. The Directorate also created the National Council for Higher Education which to some extent, has helped to improve performance. In addition, efforts towards greater cost sharing resulted in creation of the Higher Education Students Loans and Grants Board as an arm of the Directorate of Higher Education. The Higher Education Students Loans and Grants Board has enhanced loan recovery which was at zero percent before the establishment of the Board, and most debtors have now intiated paying back.