The paradoxical nature of vandalism in Malawi's mission secondary schools: Countering deep disconnects

Moses Nyasulu
Mzuzu University, Malawi
Gilbert Chinula
University of Livingstonia, Malawi
David Addae
University of Ghana, Ghana, and University of South Africa, South Africa

Despite their reputation for upholding high moral and spiritual standards, mission schools in Malawi are paradoxically experiencing alarming rates of vandalism. This study explores the paradox of learner-perpetrated vandalism within these specific educational contexts, with a focus on their nature, causes, and consequences. Adopting a qualitative, phenomenological research design, this study engaged 26 participants - including teachers, former students, and education officials - through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed that vandalism manifests as destruction of school, teacher, and church property. Key causes include student frustration with exclusionary school policies, peer pressure, substance abuse, and harsh disciplinary measures that provoke retaliatory actions. The consequences are severe, imposing significant financial burdens on parents and schools, disrupting learning activities, damaging institutional reputations, and leading to punitive legal ramifications for students. Our study concludes that vandalism in mission schools is a symptom of a deep disconnect between institutional ideals and the lived realities of students, requiring a systemic shift towards more inclusive and restorative practices.
[ PDF full text for this article ]

Authors: Dr Moses Nyasulu holds a PhD in Transformative Community Development, MEd, BEd and DipEd. He is a Lecturer in the Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Mzuzu University, Malawi. His research interests include education and early childhood development. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-5734-2820 Email: nyasulu.m@mzuni.ac.mw Gilbert J. P. Chinula holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Livingstonia, Malawi. He currently serves as the Deputy Headteacher at St Nelson's High School, Malawi. His research interests include education and Malawi's political history. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0319-0157 Email: chinulagilbert@gmail.com Professor David Addae is an Associate Professor of adult learning and higher education at the Department of Adult Education and Human Resource Studies, University of Ghana, and a Research Fellow in the Department of Adult, Community and Continuing Education, University of South Africa. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9479-6991 Email: daddae@ug.edu.gh Please cite as: Nyasulu, M., Chinula, G. & Addae, D. (2026). The paradoxical nature of vandalism in Malawi's mission secondary schools: Countering deep disconnects. Issues in Educational Research, 36(2), 659-676. http://www.iier.org.au/iier36/nyasulu.pdf