Access indicators 184 Gross enrollment rate has been oscillating from 2013 to 2017. An upward movement was observed from 2013 to 2014 with rates moving from 22.3 to 24.3 percent. A downward movement was observed from 2014 to 2016 with rates moving from 24.3 to 23. The rate has slightly increased to 23.7 in 2017 from 23 in the preceding year. Overall the results mean there is very low accessibility of secondary education by the citizenry in Malawi. The NER for secondary sub-sector has remained below 20 percent over the last five years. The national rate has remained at 15 percent for the past 4 years. This indicates low accessibility of secondary education and lack of improvement in the same. Special needs 185 About 1.6 percent of total secondary school enrollment was students with special needs. This figure has increased from 5289 students in the previous year, representing almost a 16 percent increase. The sector is doing well in incorporating learners with special needs in its schools as shown by the figure below. In 2015 and 2016, the set targets were met and in 2017, the percentage of SNE learners even surpassed the ESIP II target. Graph 5: Special Needs Enrollment – Source – Ministry of Education, Science and Technology 186 Chancellor College, a Constituent College of the University of Malawi had enrolled 45 students, the highest number of students with diverse special needs enrolled in higher education in the fiscal year. 66