Some decades ago, the majority of people in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre, looked to Makata Industrial Area for employment as labourers. Likewise, people from Lilongwe, Malawi’s Capital City, hung their employment hopes on Kanengo Industrial area where they could earn money as labourers. With the passage of time, things have changed as job opportunities in these areas have declined due to the population boom and the closure of some companies (closing due to economic turbulence).

Unemployment in the formal sector has forced many people to venture into the non-formal sector. Going around trading centres and rural areas in Malawi, eyes catch a lot of artisans such as blacksmiths, tinsmiths, bricklayers, hairdressers, barbers, tailors, shoe repairers and carpenters.

African governments should not turn a blind eye to non-formal education. People drop out of formal education for several reasons. The best that governments can do is to find means of sharpening the already existing skills among those in the non-formal sector. In addition, governments should bring more vocational skills to more people mainly in rural areas.

Non-formal education seeks to address the limitations of formal education that doesn't reach all communities and doesn't provide all of the new competencies and capabilities that are essential for the integrated development of communities. The role of non-formal education becomes even more relevant in the context of developing countries where significant asymmetries in access to education emerge.

An interesting point about the non-formal sector is that skills are always and instantly flowing from one generation to the other. Most youth learn a particular skill from their parents or close relations. This means there is sustainability of the acquired skills. This is not the same with formal education in which a university graduate goes to the grave with his or her academic papers because his education is not transferable to his or her children or siblings.

Technical schools demand minimum entry qualifications, such as a Junior Certificate of Education (obtained after two years of secondary education), while rural trade schools require at least eight years of primary school education. This effectively excludes all those who never had any formal education or had only a few years. However, if rural poverty is to be alleviated, the youths, who are the next generation of adults, should be equipped with the capacity to earn an income.

This can be done by training them in marketable skills. Since no formal training institutions will admit them, these skills would have to be obtained through a non-formal apprenticeship system linked to the functional literacy programme. An apprentice should be able to read, write and do simple calculations since many trades demand these skills.

According to the Malawi 2063 First Ten Year Implementation Plan annual report for 2023-2024, Malawi's national literacy rate has improved from 68.6% in 2020, to 75.5% in 2023. That is a remarkable improvement, despite the gender differences that show a 14.2% gap, with male literacy at 83%, and female literacy at 68.8%. The national goal is to raise the rate to 81%. While Malawi celebrates this milestone, it is important to add more gears by providing non-formal vocational skills to those who graduate from functional literacy classes.

Looking around Africa, a number of countries have developed national policies and strategies on Adult Education. These documents articulate well issues on literacy and non-formal education. However, this is not enough if it will not translate into sharpening the youths and adults with necessary skills.

For example, Malawi launched the National Adult Literacy and Education Policy, as well as the National Adult Literacy and Education Strategic Plan (2022-2027). These are important documents as they can serve as a great stepping stone to reach out to non-formal stakeholders with much-needed help by polishing up their already existing skills and training the new rural artisans.

Such important documents should not gather dust in offices. Stakeholders should be turning each page of the Policy and the Strategy to see how the contents can benefit those aspiring to have a vocational skill. Non-formal education is the future of developing countries.

Recently, the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) launched the National Financial Literacy and Capability Strategy (2024-2030). This document should not be just for decoration; rather there must be robust implementation of its contents so that it benefits the target groups which includes the non-formal sector. Apart from acquiring various skills, those in the non-formal sector should also be trained in financial literacy.

In 2014, the RBM conducted a representative baseline survey on financial literacy and financial capability. The survey revealed that only 17% of adults were using formal financial services and products whereas 53% were using informal approaches. This was in large part attributed to limited knowledge on basic financial issues. Thus, the Strategy should be implemented with those in the non-formal sector because they are the most disadvantaged in terms of basic financial knowledge.

The author is a Human Rights Activist in Malawi.