World Bank Pledges Continued Support for Malawi’s Skills Development Drive
By Michael Martin//MALAWI
The World Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Malawi’s skills development agenda as the Skills for a Vibrant Economy (SAVE) Project approaches its conclusion in June 2026.
Speaking during a meeting with a World Bank delegation in Lilongwe on Wednesday Minister of Labour, Skills and Innovation, Joel Chigona, said the five-year project has significantly expanded access to technical and vocational education across the country.
Chigona noted that enrolment in technical colleges has increased from about 2,500 students to nearly 10,000 through the construction of hostels, workshops, classrooms and laboratories, introduction of new courses, bursaries for needy students and the expansion of training through double-stream classes.
He added that the project has also promoted female participation in traditionally male-dominated programmes and improved training quality through instructor capacity building and stronger industry partnerships .
Despite the gains, the Minister said demand for skills training remains high, pointing out that more than 100,000 youths exit secondary school annually, far exceeding available tertiary training spaces.
“As Government, we must consolidate these achievements and further expand *national* technical *colleges* and community colleges to absorb the growing number of school leavers,” Chigona said, adding that shortages of qualified instructors and inadequate equipment for new infrastructure remain key challenges .
He further disclosed that Malawi is positioning itself to participate in the proposed SADC Skills for Jobs Programme (SAS4J), a regional initiative aimed at harmonising skills standards, certification systems and labour mobility frameworks among member states.
According to Chigona, the programme will draw lessons from successful regional projects such as the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP) and help address common skills gaps constraining industrial growth across Southern Africa .
Leading the World Bank delegation, Practice Manager for Education for East and Southern Africa, Muna Salih Meky, expressed satisfaction with the progress made under the SAVE Project and underscored the Bank’s interest in deepening cooperation with Malawi.
“With the SAVE Project already bearing positive results, we look forward to further collaboration with the Ministry in advancing skills development that responds to labour market needs,” she said.
The Minister said the skills agenda aligns with Malawi 2063, the country’s long-term development blueprint aimed at transforming Malawi into an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant industrialised nation through youth empowerment and human capital development.
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