Malawi Minister Demands Universities Earn Forex to Copy Zambia Model

Malawi's Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Bright Msaka, has called on the country's universities to step up efforts to mobilise foreign exchange through their teaching and other services, pointing to Zambia's forex model as a benchmark. The challenge was issued during a signing ceremony of public sector reform commitments with academic institutions in Blantyre.

Msaka openly questioned why universities are not doing more to earn foreign currency, stressing that they must contribute to alleviating Malawi's chronic forex shortages. The minister's remarks come as Malawi grapples with dwindling foreign reserves, which have hampered imports of essential goods and fuel. Zambia has recently implemented measures to boost its own forex earnings, though details of that model were not specified.

The call places pressure on Malawian universities to commercialise their expertise and attract international students and research funding. If successful, such a shift could ease the country's forex crunch, but it remains unclear how institutions will balance this with their core academic missions. The government's public sector reform drive may provide a framework, but concrete plans and timelines are yet to be announced.