Children and rights advocates have lamented a cut in the allocation to early childhood development (ECD) programmes from K1.3 billion to K300 million and asked lawmakers to increase the resources.
The concerns emerged during a child-led engagement in Lilongwe on Saturday where children interacted with members of Parliament (MPs) as the Legislature scrutinises the proposed K10.9 trillion 2026/27 National Budget.
group work. | Nation
In an interview, Hatim Hassan, a child representative from Mwanza, said the meeting gave the children an opportunity to raise issues affecting their welfare.
“Today was important because we were able to express issues such as the macroeconomic context and how it affects education and our general protection,” he said, adding that excessive government borrowing reduces resources available for children.
Save the Children senior advocacy manager John Chipeta said the meeting was part of wider consultations Parliament is holding with stakeholders during the budget session.
“Through cluster committees, MPs are hearing from stakeholders to determine whether the budget has addressed key issues or whether there are gaps,” he said.
Chipeta said such engagements have previously helped to push reforms such as the abolition of examination fees and removal of secondary school tuition fees, but more investment is needed in education, nutrition, social protection and health.
Malawi Economic Justice Network executive director Bertha Lipipa Phiri said the initiative, supported by Norad, also helps to analyse government spending on social protection and child rights.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Committee on Social and Community Affairs chairperson Savel Kafwafwa expressed concern about the ECD funding cut.
“The department previously had K1.3 billion but now it has been allocated only K300 million, yet we estimate that K90 billion is needed for the sector to function properly,” he said.
Kafwafwa said Parliament will raise the issue with the Minister of Finance during scrutiny of the budget and called for expansion of school feeding programmes to address malnutrition and improve school attendance.
MPs will this week conclude scrutinising the budget through their respective clusters before returning to Parliament next Monday for debate on the financial that plan Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation Joseph Mwanamvekha presented in the National Assembly on February 27 2026.
