BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology on Thursday, February 12, 2026, officially launched an emergency school feeding program, an initiative that will improve learners’ retention at Namadidi Primary School in Zomba.
The school feeding program aims to address the challenge of food insecurity and absenteeism among pupils in the district and other district that were hit with dry spells in 2025/2026, that led to food shortages and threatening the regular attendance of students.
The World Food Programme is overseeing the implementation of the program, which will benefit 338,000 pupils across 278 schools in the targeted districts, with financial support provided by Germany and Iceland.
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology Bright Msaka expressed the government’s appreciation for the support received from Germany and Iceland and other key partners for the donations of school meals through World Food Program (WFP) saying that it will help to increase pupils’ attendance.
He highlighted that the government is greatly impressed with the donor’s commitment to helping children access school meals during this lean season.
However, the Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continue providing meals throughout the year to help maintain high levels of school attendance and promote better learning outcomes by 2030.
On her part, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Malawi, Rebecca Adda Donto, emphasized the importance of coordination among the different donors involved in this effort.
She pointed out that this is an investing in resilient in the lives of pupils and communities who are benefiting from this program as parents are also receiving farm inputs.
She urged all partners to continue working together to maximize the impact of the school feeding program and ensure that resources are available to pupils as it takes $20 to feed a pupil for the whole year.
The Ambassador for Germany and Iceland to Malawi expressed their satisfaction with the positive impact in the school feeding program and the anticipatory sustainability of providing farm inputs to the communities as it will help to end hunger in the district.
