EU and Malawi Government launches ISEM II Programme to improve secondary education

The programme aims to promote equitable access, improve quality, and strengthen the governance and management of secondary education institutions at both central and decentralised levels.

Speaking at the launch, Ambassador of the European Union, Daniel Aristi Gaztelumendi emphasised that ISEM II is the European Union’s core contribution to improving secondary education in Malawi as part of the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy to expand access to education, skills and ultimately jobs.

EU in Malawi

Minister of Education, Science and Technology Hon. Bright Msaka SC, commended the EU for the unwavering support to the education sector in Malawi, and detailed how the ISEM programme fits into the Malawi Government agenda of improved secondary education.

The EU has been a steadfast partner of the Ministry of Education since 2015, investing since then EUR 146 million in Malawi’s secondary education sector, which makes it a major pillar of EU’s development cooperation. 

The EU engagement in education includes ISEM I (2015–2021, EUR 36 million) and ISEM II (2022–ongoing, EUR 55 million). Both phases have been focussing on three key priorities: expanding equitable access to education; enhancing quality of teaching and learning; and strengthening governance and management at all levels.

EU in Malawi

Through ISEM, the EU has supported 409 schools — around one third of Malawi’s public secondary schools — across 12 districts, contributing to both capacity-building and infrastructure development (including classroom blocks, fully equipped science, physics and ICT laboratories, fully equipped libraries, girls hostels, teachers’ houses and multipurpose halls)  in 61 schools, with 21 schools completed under ISEM I and 40 schools currently being supported under ISEM II.