Minister highlights strengthening Malawi-Iceland partnershipy

By Michael Martin//MALAWI

Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima has praised the Government of Iceland for extending its support to the country’s school feeding initiatives now reaching Nkhotakota district.

Speaking on Thursday at Dzikondilathu Primary School in Nkhotakota during the Iceland Mission’s visit to the Home Grown School Meals Programme, Wirima expressed appreciation for Iceland’s continued collaboration with Malawi in promoting access to quality education.

“This expansion from Mangochi to Nkhotakota reflects the strength and growth of our partnership in the education sector,” she said.

Wirima emphasized that the programme goes beyond meals.

“Alongside feeding learners, we are witnessing critical infrastructure development new classrooms, offices, and hostel blocks. As school meals attract more learners, it is vital that we provide the facilities to accommodate them,” she added.

She highlighted the positive impact of school feeding on enrolment, attendance, and retention.

“The Ministry has made school meals one of its five pillars for foundational learning. Our goal is to increase coverage from the current 40% to all public primary schools by 2030. Iceland’s support comes at a crucial time in achieving this objective,” she noted.

The Minister also acknowledged the technical and logistical support of the World Food Programme (WFP), which will channel grants to schools, allowing them to procure food directly from local farmers.

“This approach promotes local agriculture and supports farmers with stable income throughout the year,” she said.

In his remarks, WFP Country Director for Malawi, Hyoung Joon Lim, expressed gratitude to the people of Iceland for their generous contribution of US$1.5 million to the programme.

“This support will ensure that 10,000 learners across 10 schools receive a hot, nutritious meal every school day for the next three years,” he said.

Lim added that the programme will benefit over 1,200 smallholder farmers through direct market access and training in climate-smart agriculture, financial literacy, and business development.

“We are especially excited about the clean energy innovations being piloted such as converting organic waste into biogas for cooking. This not only reduces dependence on firewood and supports environmental conservation, but also produces biofertilizer for school gardens,” he said.

The Icelandic delegation was led by Mr. Davíð Bjarnason, Head of Mission at the Embassy of Iceland, who reaffirmed Iceland’s commitment to supporting inclusive, sustainable education initiatives in Malawi.