MAGLA Launches National School Quiz to Boost Education in Malawi

The Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority (MAGLA) has moved beyond its traditional regulatory role with the launch of a national school quiz competition. Developed in partnership with Mibawa Studios, the initiative targets secondary and private schools across Malawi and is scheduled to run for six months from February 2026.

The competition adopts an interactive format in which students both ask and answer questions, a structure designed to strengthen critical thinking, confidence, and teamwork. The programme will also feature poetry, drama, and music, with selected segments broadcast on Mibawa’s television channel.

Speaking at the launch, Dumbo Muwalo, MAGLA’s Director of Finance and Administration, said the authority had identified a gap in initiatives that support confidence-building and skills development in schools. “We are very proud to be part of this program and as sponsors we take this as an investment towards the future of our students and Malawi as a whole because through this initiative our children will become reliable citizens who will contribute to the development of the nation in the near future and make the Malawi 2063 agenda possible,” he said.

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Mibawa Studios Executive Director John Nthakomwa described the partnership as a turning point for education-focused programming. “We have wanted to run programmes on education and talent shows for some time, but the challenge we were experiencing was to do with finances in order to make them proper and sustainable,” he said. “The coming in of MAGLA with the funds has given us energy to fullfil those dreams and we promise to deliver the best productions since we have the capacity to do so.”

MAGLA has committed approximately MWK 92 million (€45,000) to fund the initiative. Alongside promoting education, the authority used the launch to reinforce responsible gambling messaging, urging parents to ensure children remain focused on learning rather than gambling, which is legally restricted to adults.

The programme has also drawn support from the education sector. Feggie Mphasi Mwale, Education Division Manager for the South West Education Division, praised the quiz’s design, noting that allowing students to formulate questions themselves would significantly enhance critical thinking and collaboration among learners.