Methodology
How these figures are measured
This page explains where the figures on the portal come from, how progress is calculated, and what every label means. The aim is that a number here never means more, or less, than it should.
In 60 seconds
The method, briefly
- Every MDA signs a reform contract that sets reform areas, outputs, indicators and targets.
- Each quarter, MDAs report their results. The Secretariat reviews them, and only approved reports appear on this portal.
- Progress is measured against the targets in the contract, not against other MDAs.
- “Not reported” and “No target this quarter” mean different things. Neither is a score.
- Approved figures are not edited. Any correction is published openly.
What this portal shows
Approved information only
This portal shows the public sector reform commitments of Malawi’s ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and the progress they report against those commitments. It shows approved information only. It does not show drafts, unapproved reports or estimates.
Where the figures come from
From contract to published figure
1.Reform contract
Each MDA agrees a contract with the Public Sector Reform Management Department (PSRMD). It lists the MDA’s reform areas, the outputs under each, the indicators that measure them, and the targets for each quarter. Once approved, a contract cannot be changed.
2.Quarterly report
After each quarter the MDA reports the actual value for each indicator, with a short explanation of progress.
3.Review and approval
Inside the MDA the report is prepared and reviewed before it reaches the head of the MDA. It then goes to the PSRMD Secretariat, which reviews, approves or returns it.
4.Publication
Only approved reports, and the figures calculated from them, are published here.
What “approved” means
The portal publishes only approved information. An approved report is a quarterly report the Secretariat has reviewed and approved; an approved contract is a reform contract it has reviewed and approved. The portal does not claim more than this.
Reporting periods and calendar
Financial years and quarters
Contracts run over financial years, written for example as 2026/2027 Q1 to 2027/2028 Q4.
A quarter is a three-month period of the financial year. Q1 is April to June, Q2 is July to September, Q3 is October to December, and Q4 is January to March.
Each quarter has a reporting window. It closes two weeks after the quarter ends. An MDA that misses it must ask the Secretariat to reopen the window and give a reason.
How progress is measured
Actual results against contract targets
Targets come from the contract
Each indicator has a target for each quarter in which progress is expected.
Indicators are cumulative
Each reported value is the position reached to date, not only what was added in the quarter.
Achievement compares the actual value with the target
It is shown as a percentage. Where higher is better, a higher actual value means higher achievement. Where lower is better, such as processing time, the calculation is reversed so a reduction counts as progress.
Achievement can exceed 100%
If an MDA beats its target, the figure shows it. Results are not cut off at 100%.
Corrections to earlier quarters
If an MDA later corrects a result for an earlier quarter, the correction updates the cumulative figure. It does not change the achievement shown for the original quarter.
Quarters with no target are skipped
If the contract sets no target for an indicator in a quarter, that indicator is left out of the calculation for that quarter and labelled “No target this quarter.”
How figures are combined
From one indicator to a portal-wide view
| Level | How the figure is built |
|---|---|
| Indicator | Actual value compared with its target. |
| Output | Built from its indicators. |
| Reform area | A simple average of the achievement of its outputs that have a target in the period. Every output counts equally. |
| MDA | Built from its reform areas using the weights set in the signed contract. |
| Portal-wide | Coverage is shown first. A portal-wide progress figure is shown only when enough MDAs have reported. |
Because results can exceed 100%, a strong result on one output can offset a weak result on another in an average. For this reason the portal also shows how many outputs met their target, for example “2 of 3 outputs at or above target.”
Worked example · illustrative numbers
| Output | Q1 target | Q1 actual | Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output A | 10 | 6 | 60% |
| Output B | 20 | 24 | 120% |
| Output C | No Q1 target | Not applicable | Skipped |
The reform area’s value is the average of Output A and Output B: (60% + 120%) ÷ 2 = 90%. Output C is left out because it has no Q1 target. Only one of the two outputs met its target, and the page says so.
What the labels mean
Reading a status label
| Label | What it means | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Target met | The reported result is at or above the quarter’s target. | 100% or more |
| Partly met | The result reached at least half of the target. | 50% to below 100% |
| Below half of target | The result is some way short of the target. | Above 0% to below 50% |
| No progress recorded | A target was due and the recorded result is zero. The MDA may still have worked on it. | 0% |
| No target this quarter | The contract sets no target for this quarter, so nothing was due. | Not applicable |
| Not reported | A target was due but no approved result is published yet. | Not applicable |
These labels describe achievement against a target. They are not a rating of an MDA’s overall performance.
A key distinction
“Not reported” is not “No target this quarter”
No target this quarter
A fact about the contract. Nothing was due, so nothing was missed.
Not reported
A result was due and no approved result is available yet.
Coverage counts only reform areas that had a target due in the period. A reform area with no target that quarter is not counted as missing.
What the figures do not show
Reading the figures fairly
- MDAs set their own targets in their contracts, so the same percentage can mean different things for different MDAs. Compare an MDA with its own targets over time before comparing it with others.
- Early in a contract period few MDAs have reported, and the figures reflect only those that have. Always check the coverage figure.
- A result of 0% means no progress was recorded against a target. It does not show how much effort was made.
Updates and corrections
How figures change over time
- Figures are updated after each quarterly review.
- Approved figures are not edited. If a figure needs correcting, the correction is published openly rather than quietly changing an approved result.
- To report a possible error or ask a question, contact the Secretariat at info@reforms.gov.mw.
Need a definition?
The glossary explains every term used on the portal in one line.