This article is mainly concerned with the capability of trainee teachers to implement learner-centred
practice at one of the teacher education institutions in Malawi. The notion of learner-centred education
has assumed a positive policy position for teaching and learning in both primary and secondary sectors
not only in Malawi, but also in the wider world. However, there is no clear evidence on the extent to
whichtrainee teachers orindeed qualifiedteachers develop and utilise learner-centred educationduring
their classroom pedagogical practices. The appropriation and application of a pedagogical theory
involves adopting tools for thinking that are made available by various social agents, structures and
systems within cultural learning settings. The findings in the study indicate that appropriation and
application of learner-centred education is constrained by various factors. These findings resonate with
findings from other countries and indicate that progressive pedagogical notions aligned with social
constructivism promoted in teacher education institutions have not resulted in widespread change in
classroom practice. Teacher educators and policy makers need to be aware of this and examine relevant
ways and possibly adaptations that can be reasonably made to ensure that secondary teaching
appropriately benefits from the strength of learner-centred pedagogy.