A Comparative Study of Malawian and Chinese Policies on Girls’ Education

Abstract

This study aims to analyse and compare education laws and policies instituted by Malawi and Chinese governments towards addressing issues  affecting girls education. The study utilises document analysis. The following documents were analysed; the Malawi Growth and Strategy papers, I,  II and III, the Malawi National Gender Policy, the Malawi National Education Policy, and the National Education Sector Plan (2008-2017). In addition,  the following policy documents were analysed: The Education Law of the PRC (1995), the Compulsory Education Law of the PRC (1986/2006), the  Teachers’ Law of the PRC (1994), the China’s National Plan for the Medium- and Long-Term Education Reform (2010-2020), and the 2015 White  Paper on Gender Equality and Women Development in China. Results of the study indicate that in both countries, both long-term and short-term  policies have included provisions aimed at improving girls’ education. The study proposes that learning from the PRC, the Malawi government  should make education compulsory in the Education Law. In addition, there is a need to sensitise all education stakeholders of the critical policies  and laws governing education in Malawi.