EESO Senior Advisor Dr. Michael Harpham Completes Landmark Delegation Visit to Malawi

Between 18th and 24th October 2026, the Educate Enrich Society Organization (EESO) reached a major milestone in its mission to support educational development in Malawi. Senior Advisor Dr. Michael Harpham joined members of the EESO Malawi team for an intensive delegation visit across the Northern Region, visiting primary schools, secondary schools, and higher education institutions in Nkhata-Bay District, Mzuzu, and Lilongwe.
The trip focused on evaluating the daily operational and infrastructural realities facing local schools while forging strategic partnerships to foster long-term educational growth, leadership development, and international collaboration.

A Warm Welcome & Vision for Collaboration
The official visit commenced on Sunday, 18th October, with a strategic opening meeting between Dr. Michael Harpham and EESO Malawi leadership. To mark the occasion and celebrate cross-cultural partnership:
• EESO Malawi presented Dr. Harpham with an official EESO-branded golf shirt as a gesture of appreciation and hospitality.
• Dr. Harpham gifted EESO Malawi team members copies of his book, Progress Plain and Simple, establishing a shared commitment to sustainable school improvement and leadership excellence.

"Understanding the challenges our schools face on the ground is the first step toward delivering impactful, sustainable support," noted Dr. Harpham during the strategic opening meeting.

Assessing Needs Across Nkhata-Bay Schools
From 19th to 21st October, the EESO delegation conducted comprehensive site assessments across six primary and secondary schools in Nkhata-Bay District.
1. Primary Education: Foundation & Daily Challenges
The team visited Kambuwi Primary School, Kalambwe Primary School, and Mkondezi Primary School. While educators and students demonstrated inspiring resilience, the visits highlighted key structural and operational hurdles:
• Resource Shortages: Critical shortages of essential learning materials, including core textbooks, teacher guides, computers, and projectors.
• Infrastructure Constraints: Insufficient classroom space to meet recommended teacher-to-pupil ratios, along with severe shortages of student desks.
• Teacher Housing: A critical lack of residential accommodation for teaching staff, affecting retention and staff well-being.
• Sanitation & Facilities: Substandard pit latrines and a total absence of dedicated library facilities across all three institutions.

2. Secondary Education: Overcoming Infrastructure Barriers
At the secondary level, EESO representatives evaluated Pundu Community Day Secondary School (CDSS), St. Augustine CDSS, and Chisu CDSS. Findings underscored an urgent need for specialized educational facilities:
• Resource-Sharing & Facilities: Severe shortages of library books across all sites. At Pundu CDSS, the library space is currently being repurposed as a temporary dormitory for 18 female boarding students due to a lack of dedicated housing.
• Specialized Learning Environments: An acute absence of dedicated science and computer laboratories, limiting practical, hands-on learning.
• Safety & Security: High dependence on temporary thatched structures for school kitchens, as well as a lack of security fencing surrounding school grounds.

Unlocking Potential: Strategic Focus Areas
In response to these assessments, EESO and local education stakeholders mapped out five key intervention areas aimed at elevating teaching, learning, and infrastructure:
• Teacher Continuous Professional Development (CPD): Delivering targeted academic training and capacity building for educators.
• School Leadership CPD: Empowering headteachers and administrators with modern leadership and management practices.
• Student Enrichment: Developing programs that expand academic, co-curricular, and life-skills learning opportunities.
• Digital Resources & Innovation: Introducing modern teaching tools, digital learning platforms, and instructional technology.
• UK–Malawi School Partnerships: Creating direct, collaborative linkage programs between schools in Malawi and the United Kingdom.

Bridging Tertiary Education: Higher Education Partnerships
Highlighting the importance of higher education in driving regional growth, the EESO delegation visited Mzuzu University on Monday, 19th October, and hosted a wrap-up meeting with the University of Malawi (UNIMA) in Lilongwe on Friday, 24th October.
Meetings with university leadership focused on building international academic bridges between Mzuzu University, UNIMA, and higher education institutions in the UK through EESO. Discussions produced an agreement to collaborate on:
• Joint Research & Knowledge Exchange: Facilitating cross-institutional research projects and academic publications.
• Faculty & Staff Development: Launching professional development programs for academic and administrative staff.
• Student Mobility: Creating pathways for international student exchanges, field placements, and postgraduate research.
• Curriculum Co-Creation: Partnering on joint curriculum development and collaborative teaching models.
• Global Funding & Grants: Pursuing joint international funding opportunities and strategic academic consortiums.

Looking Ahead
The insights gathered during this landmark trip lay a strong foundation for EESO’s upcoming projects in Malawi. By working hand-in-hand with local educators, community leaders, and academic institutions, EESO remains dedicated to turning these identified challenges into actionable, sustainable solutions.