K1.5 Million School Fees Shock: Catholic Secondary Schools Hike Termly Charges as Parents Cry Foul
Parents and guardians will now have to cough up a jaw-dropping K1.5 million per child per year to send their children to some of Malawi’s most prestigious Catholic Secondary Schools under the Malawi Council of Catholic Bishops (MCCB) — as new figures reveal a massive fee hike coming into effect next academic year.
A circular in our possession shows Likuni Boys Secondary School is raising fees from K345,000 to K520,000 per term, a K175,000 jump that’s shaking many households already reeling from the high cost of living.
The Catholic Church says the hike is simply unavoidable.
Education expert Dr. Limbani Nsapato has come out in support of the decision, arguing that schools are not operating in a vacuum. “The adjustment reflects present realities beyond the schools or the church,” Nsapato said. “Food prices are up. Materials needed for maintaining infrastructure like hostels have also skyrocketed. So, this increase is critical if we are to preserve minimum standards in the delivery of quality education and boarding services.”
But while the rationale may seem grounded, the reality on the ground is grim. For an average Malawian parent surviving on a minimum wage or seasonal income, K1.5 million per child per year is simply out of reach.
There are growing concerns that even grant-aided schools — traditionally more affordable than private academies — are now slipping beyond the grasp of working-class Malawians. This could deepen educational inequality and push more deserving learners out of quality schooling.
Dr. Nsapato has called on the government to step in, stressing the need for increased subventions to mission schools and broader action to stabilize the macroeconomic environment: “Let’s not pretend the schools alone can fix what’s broken in our economy.”
Meanwhile, as inflation bites, and essential services like education bear the brunt, the big question looms — How many Malawians can still afford to educate their children without going broke?
One thing is clear: the future of education in Malawi is slowly becoming a privilege — not a right.