Education authorities hail school-feeding programme

Education authorities in Nkhata Bay District have commended primary schools providing meals to learners through home-grown resources.

In an interview on Tuesday, Nkhata Bay district school health and nutrition coordinator Andrews Chulu said they introduced the initiative to ensure that schools provide meals to learners.

He said the initiative has reduced absenteeism and dropouts in schools.

“Since class attendance has improved, we have received reports that performance has also improved,” said Chulu.

He urged schools that have not yet started the home-grown school meals programme to adopt the initiative.

Pundu Primary School head teacher Hadjison Manda said the programme has improved class attendance.

“Learners come to school because they know they will not be hungry,” he said.

Nkhata Bay emerged the best performing district in the country in the 2021 Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education  examinations.

In May, officials from Nsanje District Council visited Nkhata Bay to learn more in the Home-Grown School Meal Programme.

Group village head Bulukutu from Mvwalamani Home Grown School Meal Programme said their visit was a source of motivation.

“We didn’t know that the programme we are implementing at Mvwalamani Primary School can attract friends all the way from Nsanje,” he said.