Ministry downplays decline in MSCE exam candidates

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has downplayed the drop in the number of candidates sitting for this year’s Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations.

Speaking in Mzuzu during inspection visits to examination centres, line minister Bright Msaka said the decrease is linked to regular fluctuations in the number of open and distance learning candidates every year.

He said: “All our secondary schools have registered an increase in the regular students so the reduction has to do with those that do open and distance learning.

“I am sure this does happen from time to time. We do experience fluctuations year after year depending upon the number of students that have registered for open and distance learning.”

Msaka interacts with Mary Mount students

during the tour. | Euneas Zinyengo

Msaka said the introduction of free secondary education resulted in increased enrolment of internal candidates sitting for the examinations nationwide.

Data from Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb) shows that total number of MSCE candidates has this year reduced to 197 502 from 202 940 last year.

Besides the positive start of the examinations, Msaka urged supervisors, invigilators and security personnel to uphold professionalism, impartiality and confidentiality throughout, saying their conduct would determine the credibility of the examination results.

Mary Mount Catholic Girls Secondary School manager Island Mtambo urged students to avoid any misconduct during the period.

*The Nation *checks at Lilongwe

Girls Secondary School, Bwaila Secondary School and Chipasula Community Day Secondary School in the capital city established that candidates were prepared, while supervisors, invigilators and police officers were on site to ensure the examinations were conducted peacefully and securely.

Lilongwe Girls Secondary School deputy head teacher Enock Abraham said the school did not record any incidents on the opening day and that all candidates had turned up.

Meanwhile, Civil Society Education Coalition executive director Benedicto Kondowe urged government to improve education data systems and learner tracking to tame candidature fluctuations.

“Government should strengthen longitudinal tracking of learners from Form One to Form Four to better predict progression and identify dropout risks early,” he said.

Maneb is administering the examinations from June 29 to July 19 2026.

The post Ministry downplays decline in MSCE exam candidates appeared first on Nation Online.