Lilongwe / Abidjan, 2^nd February 2026 — The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Malawi, the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), and other partners are pleased to announce that the Government of the Republic of Malawi will host the third edition of the Africa Foundational Learning Exchange (FLEX) from 15–17 July 2026 in Lilongwe.

FLEX is the largest platform for country-to-country exchange on foundational learning in Africa. It convenes policymakers, thought leaders, development partners, implementers, and other education actors across the continent and beyond. In Malawi, countries will exchange on progress made in implementing the commitments and actions since FLEX2024 held in Rwanda and further re-enforced at the 2025 ADEA Triennale. Through a series of presentations, expert panel interventions, round table discussions, formal and informal dialogue over three days, participants will exchange knowledge derived from foundational learning efforts on the continent and jointly plan the way forward toward ending learning poverty by 2035.

According to Hon. Bright Msaka, Malawi’s Minister of Education, Science and Technology, 

“We are honoured to welcome Africa to FLEX2026 in Lilongwe. This is in keeping to the commitment we made at the close of FLEX2024 to host this event, which reflects our shared determination to ensure every child acquires the foundational literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional skills that unlock lifelong learning and opportunity. It will be an honour for us to showcase the Malawian hospitality and underscore why we are the warm heart of Africa.”

Thanking the Minister, Albert Nsengiyumva, the ADEA Executive Secretary noted, 

“FLEX is an Africa-led learning platform where countries and partners share experiences, demonstrate progress and strengthen accountability for results in foundational learning. It is a privilege for ADEA to work collaboratively with partners to support the Government of Malawi in organizing this flagship event.”

The third since the ones held in Sierra Leone (2023) and Kigali (2024), FLEX 2026 aligns with key continental and global education frameworks, including the African Union’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA) 2026–2035, United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number four on education (SDG-4), and the outcome document of the 2025 ADEA Triennale, on turning commitments into measurable systemic transformation.

About the Host

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is the custodian of Malawi’s education sector, as well as all matters relating to science and technology. It provides policy guidance and direction on all education, science and technology issues. In this role, the Ministry drives the vision to be a catalyst for socio-economic development, industrial growth and instrument for empowering the poor, the weak and voiceless.

About ADEA

ADEA is a critical voice for education in Africa. Its goal is to empower African countries to reform their educational systems to contribute effectively to sustainable national socio-economic development. ADEA is hosted as a special project within the African Development Bank Group’s headquarters in Abidjan, with a network comprising Ministries of Education from all African countries and a strong stakeholder ecosystem.