Language Policy and Education Outcomes in Multilingual Malawi: An Action Research Study

Language policies in multilingual African states like Malawi face complex challenges related to educational outcomes. An action research approach was employed, involving direct engagement with stakeholders and analysis of existing data. The study identified that the proportion of students who passed their national exams significantly increased when schools adopted a bilingual education policy compared to those using only English as the medium of instruction. Bilingual education policies have a positive impact on educational outcomes in multilingual environments, particularly for primary school students. Government should consider implementing or expanding bilingual education programmes across all regions of Malawi.