Digital learning gains ground in Malawi

When Jeff Bordes speaks about education, he does not begin with statistics or market projections. He begins with his mother.

Growing up in the United States, she taught him that education is a gift that is powerful enough to lift a person beyond the limits of their circumstances. That belief became the foundation of Astria Learning, the firm Bordes founded to make education accessible to anyone, anywhere.

That vision has found a strong foothold in Malawi.

For years, the story of Malawian students has been familiar: bright minds scattered across the country, only for opportunities to be largely concentrated in urban centres such as Blantyre, Lilongwe, Zomba and Mzuzu.

Those who are unable to relocate often see their ambitions dim.

Not only that; in the past, working professionals who were eager to upgrade their skills faced a difficult choice between keeping their jobs or continuing with their education.

In just three years, Astria Learning has helped change that story.

Through partnerships with the University of Malawi (Unima) and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the institution has established e-campuses that allow students to learn from anywhere.

Lecture halls now exist on laptops and digital libraries extend beyond university walls.

For students in Mchinji, Karonga or Nsanje districts, quality education is now just a login away.

Wo rk ing professionals are improving their skills without leaving their workplaces and lecturers are adapting to digital teaching tools with growing confidence.

“Malawi is a ready market,” Jeff says. “This is a country that values education and embraces technology”.

That belief has led Astria to deepen its local presence, with offices in Lilongwe and Blantyre supporting a growing community of learners and educators.

Jeff indicates that Astria Learning’s work directly supports Malawi’s 2063 vision, which emphasises inclusive, skills-driven education as key to achieving national transformation.

He stresses that by promoting flexible and accessible learning, Astria is contributing to the development of the skilled workforce Malawi needs to drive its growth agenda.

Jeff adds that the institution’s initiatives complement the Digital Malawi Project, a government programme implemented by the Public Private Partnership Commission with support from the World Bank. The project aims to expand internet access, strengthen ICT infrastructure and promote digital literacy across all sectors.

Under the Digital Malawi Project, the country has made progress in rolling out fibre-optic networks, improving broadband connectivity and linking schools and universities to digital platforms.

The project’s focus areas—that is, digital connectivity, e-government services and digital skills development—are laying the foundation for a modern and knowledge-based economy.

Other players are doing their job, too. For instance, the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) is ensuring that the country has a Broadband Mapping System, indicating that such a system will help improve high-speed internet connectivity and service delivery across the country.

Speaking in Lilongwe this week, during the launch of the National Broadband Mapping System, Macra Director of Telecommunications Edward Kauka pointed out that the initiative aligns with the authority’s mission to promote universal access to services and protect consumer interests.

The official explained that identifying connectivity gaps through the system would pave the way for the strategic deployment of infrastructure, thereby ensuring that everyone has access to reliable internet services in the country.

“Through this mapping system, we will be able to engage with more stakeholders to design interventions that improve both access and affordability. As a result, the number of people benefitting from broadband connectivity will rise significantly, which will contribute to the attainment of national development goals,” Kauka stressed.

He acknowledged that although Macra has been implementing initiatives, notably the Connect a School Project, gaps persist in internet connectivity, something stakeholders are working on.

“Strategic measures have been put in place to ensure the effective implementation of broadband mapping across all regions of the country,” he emphasised.

The good news is that people such as Dana Jon Kamason, who is the project manager of the Africa Broadband Mapping System initiative under International Telecommunicat ion Union, are ensuring that countries such as Malawi are making services available to everyone, everywhere.

For Jeff, who sees opportunities where pessimists see roadblocks, easing access to education services means he is contributing to world enlightenment efforts.

Of course, internet costs are still high, digital devices remain out of reach for many households and rural connectivity continues to lag behind urban areas.

Still, momentum is building, with government and private sector efforts to expand network coverage and lower data tariffs gradually improving access to services.

This makes Jeff overly optimistic.