Fewer Learners Registered for 2026 National Exams, Raising Serious Concern

January 18, 2026 Our reporter Be the first to comment

The Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) has finished registering candidates for the 2026 national examinations, but the numbers show fewer learners will sit exams this year compared to last year.

Nampota

According to MANEB, the number of learners registered for both Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) and Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) exams has dropped by 0.8 percent.

MANEB Executive Director Dorothy Nampota said registration ran from November 10 to December 31, 2025, with a one-day reopening on January 12, 2026 to allow late payments and registrations.

The Numbers Tell a Worrying Story

For the MSCE, the number of candidates has dropped from 202,940 in 2025 to 201,384 in 2026. For the PSLCE, candidate numbers have fallen from 257,129 last year to 255,070 this year. Only the Junior Certificate of Education (JCE) shows a small increase, rising slightly from 166,123 to 166,652 candidates.

In total, 623,106 learners are expected to sit national exams in 2026, down from 626,192 last year.

Why This Is Not Good for Malawi

A drop in exam candidates means many children are leaving school before completing key education levels. This is dangerous for the country’s future.

Education experts warn that school dropouts, poverty, early pregnancies, early marriages, and failure to afford exam fees may be pushing learners out of school.

Executive Director of Link for Education Governance (LEG), Limbani Nsapata, said many learners may have dropped out due to economic hardship.

“Some learners may have failed to register because their families could not afford exam fees,” Nsapata said.
“Others may have left school because of early pregnancies or early marriages.”

When learners drop out:

  • They have fewer job opportunities
  • The country ends up with more unskilled youth
  • Poverty continues from one generation to the next
  • Crime and social problems increase
  • National development slows down

Exams Start in June

MANEB says the 2026 examinations will run from June 1 to July 24.

  • JCE: June 1–10
  • PSLCE: June 8–10
  • MSCE: June 30–July 24

The Bigger Warning

Experts say the falling numbers are a clear warning sign that Malawi is struggling to keep children in school.

Unless government puts more money and support into education, many young people will continue dropping out—hurting not just families, but the country’s future as a whole.

Education, they warn, is not just a school issue—it is a national survival issue.

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