Govt, Save the Children tout SPAESHA Project, its recommendations to shape SHNHA policy
The Government of Malawi has disclosed that recommendations from the Strategic Planning Advisors for Education and School Health in Africa (SPAESHA) project will form part of the contents in the development of School Health Nutrition HIV and AIDS (SHNHA) policy.
Deputy Director for SHNHA in the Ministry of Education, Maureen Maguza-Tembo, made the sentiments at Mponela in Dowa at the close-out ceremony of the project.
Save the Children International (SCI) has been implementing the SPAESHA project from 2022 to 2024 with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Through the project, SCI conducted a qualitative research and came up with recommendations on how best the Ministry of Education can enhance learner’s health and nutrition.
Maguza-Tembo stated that findings of the project will help the ministry in developing a comprehensive new SHNHA policy as they embark on the review of the old policy, adding that the policy has outlined a number of areas which the ministry needs to consider as they develop the new policy.
“For example, they have highlighted a number of areas which we need to consider when coming up with WASH facilities so that they are accessed by learners with special needs. They also pointed out about limitation of school meals programs, some schools are accessing while others are not accessing and all these issues will be looked into as we are reviewing our policy,” she said.
The SPAESHA document also highlights the need to train education staff on pandemic and epidemic preparedness, standardizing health care service protocol in schools, supporting school meals in areas of greatest food insecurity and capacity of district School Health Nutrition coordinators among a number of recommendations.
Speaking earlier, Director of Programs Operations, Partnerships and Awards Management at Save the Children International, Dr Chakufwa Munthali expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Education for tremendous collaboration and support throughout the implementation of the two-year programme.
He thanked the ministry of education for showing commitment to incorporating the recommendations in the revised SHN policy to be developed.He said SAVE the Children remains committed to supporting the government to ensure gaps found are addressed and he called other development partners to render support towards the cause.
The meeting drew strategic programme’s partners namely the Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, SAVE the Children International, USAID and the Academia.
