Education in Northern Region, Malawi: official figures
86.5% of people aged 15 and over in the Northern Region could read and write in 2024-2025, according to the Sixth Integrated Household Survey, the highest of the 3 regions (Malawi: 79.3%).
How many children in the Northern Region go to primary school?
The net enrolment rate in primary school in the Northern Region was 91.6% in 2024-2025 (the share of children of primary-school age who were in primary school), the highest of the 3 regions (Malawi: 90.2%).
Source: National Statistical Office of Malawi · saved copyHow many young people in the Northern Region go to secondary school?
Only 17.8% of young people of secondary-school age in the Northern Region were enrolled in secondary school in 2024-2025 (girls 21.8%, boys 13.6%), the highest of the 3 regions (Malawi: 15.2%).
Source: National Statistical Office of Malawi · saved copyHow much schooling do women in the Northern Region have?
2.3% of women aged 15 to 49 in the Northern Region had never been to school and 10.7% had completed secondary school or gone further; they had completed 7.0 years of school at the median (Malawi: 7.1%, 9.6% and 5.9 years).
Source: National Statistical Office of Malawi (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copyMore figures
- The 2024 Demographic and Health Survey found a secondary-school net attendance ratio of 18.3% in the Northern Region and a primary ratio of 93.5%; secondary attendance is the highest of the 3 regions (Malawi: 15.5% and 90.4%). Source: National Statistical Office of Malawi (with ICF, The DHS Program) · saved copy
How Northern Region compares with other regions
Literacy rate, age 15 and over (2024-2025)
Northern Region ranks 1 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Literacy rate, age 15 and over |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Region | 86.5% |
| 2 | Central Region | 78.3% |
| 3 | Southern Region | 78.2% |
Net enrolment rate, secondary school (2024-2025)
Northern Region ranks 1 of 3, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Net enrolment rate, secondary school |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Region | 17.8% |
| 2 | Southern Region | 16.4% |
| 3 | Central Region | 13.1% |
More on Northern Region: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · Malawi
Sources
- National Statistical Office of Malawi (with ICF, The DHS Program): Malawi Demographic and Health Survey 2024: Final Report (region rows of Tables 2.6, 2.12, 3.2.1, 3.6.1, 5.2, 5.12, 8.3, 9.7, 10.4, 11.1, 12.15, 15.6.1, 16.2 and 16.7), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 67bf038b8ed3…)
- National Statistical Office of Malawi: The Sixth Integrated Household Survey (IHS6) 2024-2025 Main Report: appendix Tables 3.2, 3.5, 3.6, 6.1, 7.17, 9.1, 9.2, 10.3 and 12.1 by region, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 199eeaf84c4b…)
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