Ministry of Education, Science and Technology

The Department was established in 2007, following a cabinet directive on 7th December, 2007 to scale up school health and nutrition programs in schools across the country.

Functions                                                            

1. To provide policy guidance in school health nutrition HIV and AIDS, Gender, education in emergency programme in education sector.
2. To conduct monitoring and evaluation exercise for the programme.
3. To enhance coordination.

Ministerial and sectoral policies:

The department recognizes the following international and national instruments as key instruments for implementing school health nutrition HIV and AIDS Gender and education in emergencies programmes in Malawi:

1. Malawi constitution
2. Education Act
3. National Education sector plan
4. Nutrition policy 2006
5. Food Security policy 2006
6. Water policy 2005
7. National Sanitation policy 2008
8. Gender policy 2000
9. National school health and nutrition strategic plan 2009-2018
10. HIV and AIDS Mainstreaming Strategy for the Education Sector 2014-2018
11. Ministry of Health Programme of works 2004
12. Decentralization policy  1998
13. Malawi Growth and Development Strategy II
14. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
15. Human rights (Article 25 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Core Interventions

School Health Interventions

1. Physical healthy assessment
2. De-worming
3. Micronutrients supplementations
4. Treatment of minor ailments
5. Mental health

School Nutrition Interventions

1. Nutrition Education
2. School meals programme
3. Productive school environment

HIV and AIDS Prevention and Management

1. HIV and AIDS prevention
2. Care and support of learners and teachers living positively
3. Provision of life skills education

Water Sanitation and Hygiene Intervention

1. Promotion of hand washing facilities in schools
2. Water management
3. Provision of adequate toilet and urinal facilities management

Gender Mainstreaming

1. Girls’ education
2. Support and strengthening mother groups
3. Readmission policy
4. Menstrual hygiene management

Education in Emergency

1. Emergency Preparedness
2. Emergency Response
3. Emergency Recovery

Guidance and Counseling

1. Training Trainer of Trainers in districts.
2. Provision guidance and counseling in schools.

Activities within the 2013/2014 financial year

• Scaled up school meals programme from 1.2 million learners to 1.643,000 million learners.
• De-wormed 2.8 million learners in primary schools.
• Administered human papilloma virus vaccination to prevent cervical cancer (HPVC) to 11,000 girls in standard 4 in Zomba and Rumphi.
• Trained 400/500 standard 2 and 3 primary school teachers in oral health management. The remaining 100 teachers will be trained in Mzuzu in the month of July 2014.
• 44 primary school teachers graduated with Diploma certificate in guidance and counseling.
• Trained 11 officers in computer skills at Malawi Institute of Management. 
• Facilitated development of girls’ education and communication strategies.
• Reviewed HIV and AIDS mainstreaming strategy in education sector.
• Drafted a comprehensive national school health and nutrition policy.
• Awarded two grants for school meals programme to FISD and Hungerlife funded by European Union. (50 new schools).
• Subcontracted GOPA to implement Home Grown School meals in 40 schools.
• Sponsored one officer to study Diploma course in guidance and counseling.
• Constructed 50 school kitchen and storage facilities. 
• Facilitated 500,000 trees across the country.
• Decentralized core functions of school health and nutrition with budget line amounting to MK150 million.
• Conducted two studies (1). Capacity needs assessment for SHN Coordinators and (2) Malaria study in progress in Zomba.