SIGH OF RELIEF FOR LEARNERS AS GVT DIRECTS RESUMPTION OF IN-SCHOOL MEALS

Learners in various primary schools across in Malawi are yet to start getting in-school meals weeks after the Ministry of Education, with approval of the Emergency Operations Committee under Ministry of Health, directed that take home rations be stopped and that in-school prepared meals be resumed.

According to the documents we have seen, the resumption was to be effected by 6th September 2021 under strict observance of COVID 19 preventive protocols like observing social distance, wearing a clean face mask and frequent hand washing by the learners, teachers and cooks among others.

The in-school prepared meals were halted last year due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mary's Meals, which feeds approximately 1 million learners across Malawi, provided take home rations to all its beneficiaries during the entire period of the suspension.

Modester Nkolasato, a Mary's Meals School Feeding Officer based in Dowa says she is optimistic the program will have resumed by early October.

She says has inspected all schools under her jurisdiction and she is impressed with their level of preparedness.

Selected hunger-stricken rural primary school children used to get one meal every school day so as to enable them concentrate on their education and having not to complain of hunger as lessons are being delivered to them.