Malawi has an 8-4-4 education system consisting of primary school (known as Standard 1 to Standard 8), secondary schools (known as Form 1 to 4) and university education. The official entry age into primary level education is 6 years. Primary education in Malawi is compulsory.

The long years of colonial oppression and oppression by the Banda regime have ended their negative influence over the educational system. Education no longer stresses academic preparation leading to access to secondary school and universities, rather the stress is now on agriculture and practical training since few students go on to high school or university and most begin work immediately after primary school. Secondary and university education have seen dramatic growth but neither educational sector comes close to meeting Malawi's educational needs for a well-trained labor force.

Attire School uniforms are a requirement at all schools in Malawi. They usually consist of a either a dress or skirt and blouse for girls, and shorts or pants and a top for boys. Many uniforms also consist of a school Jersey or Blazer for the cooler seasons. The color and design of each uniform varies by each school. Uniforms can be purchased at the schools or in stores.

Malawi ( /məˈlɑːwi/; Chichewa [malaβi]^{[need tone]}), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Malawi is over 118,000 km² (45,560 sq mi) with an estimated population of more than 13,900,000. Its capital is Lilongwe, which is also Malawi's largest city; the second largest is Blantyre and the third is Mzuzu. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi, an old name of the Nyanja people that inhabit the area. The country is also nicknamed "The Warm Heart of Africa".

The area of Africa now known as Malawi was colonized by migrating tribes of Bantu around the 10th century. In 1891 the area was colonized again, this time by the British. In 1953 Malawi, then known as Nyasaland, became part of the semi-independent Central African Federation (CAF). The Federation was dissolved in 1963 and in 1964, Nyasaland gained full independence and was renamed Malawi. Upon gaining independence it became a single-party state under the presidency of Hastings Banda, who remained president until 1994, when he was ousted from power. Joyce Banda (no relation) is the current president, raised to that position after president Bingu Mutharika died in 2012. She is the first female leader in Malawi. Malawi has a democratic, multi-party government. Malawi has a small military force that includes an army, a navy and an air wing. Malawi's foreign policy is pro-Western and includes positive diplomatic relations with most countries and participation in several international organizations.