By Suleman Chitera

BLANTYRE – Minister of Education Bright Msaka has challenged Malawians to develop sustainable, home-grown solutions to strengthen school feeding programmes, warning that continued dependence on donor funding could undermine efforts to improve education and child nutrition.

Speaking in Blantyre during an event where World Vision Malawi rallied the private sector to support school feeding initiatives, Msaka said locally driven interventions are essential to ensuring that every child has access to nutritious meals while in school.Msaka Launch K80 Million School Project

“We need to move beyond relying on external support and build sustainable local solutions that can keep our children in school and help them learn effectively,” said Msaka.

He observed that school feeding programmes have become an important pillar of Malawi’s education system by encouraging children to attend classes regularly, improving concentration and reducing absenteeism caused by hunger.

World Vision Malawi Director of Operations Charles Chimombo said the organisation has witnessed the transformative impact of school feeding programmes in communities where they are being implementedMalawi Invited to Prestigious Education World Forum in London, Showcasing Bold Education Reforms

“Schools where these programmes are in place have registered improved enrolment, better nutrition among learners and a significant reduction in dropout rates,” Chimombo said.

He called on businesses and other private sector players to join hands with government and development partners to expand the initiative, saying investing in children’s nutrition is an investment in Malawi’s future workforce and economic growth.

According to official records, Malawi introduced the school feeding programme in Dedza District in 1999 as an emergency response to food insecurity affecting schoolchildren. Over the years, the initiative has grown into a nationwide programme that now provides meals to more than 2 million children in public primary schools.Bright Msaka Represents Mutharika and DPP at Chilima Memorial in Nsipe

Education stakeholders say expanding locally supported school feeding programmes could further improve learning outcomes, increase school attendance and help the country achieve its education and child development goals.