Government has told the School Readiness Initiative (SRI) Action aid Malawi that it will provide education to children by ensuring good transition to primary schools.

Minister of Gender Patricia Kaliati said that more non-governmental organizations are needed to collaborate with the government to make the sector more vibrant.

”Early Childhood Development (ECD) should be there even in the rural areas because it is the only way to make children ready for primary school. School drop out of children who went through ECD are less and more are finising school, I encourage more NGOs to partner with the government,” said Kaliati

Balaka district chairperson Chanthunya Said that the government and the NGOs should take part more in the rural areas where the state of ECD is low.

“The first phase had 70 Community Based Childcare Centres and 17 primary schools only but in the second phase more schools will be belt and 50 more CBCC. Malawi has 6000 caregivers but government has only taken 2000 caregivers on ahonorarium of K20000 a mounth,”said Chanthunya.

Every year K40 billion kwacha is needed for the national budget on ECD but only K20 billion is there.

The collaboration Action Aid Malawi with Synod Livingstonia and Association of ECD in Malawi is implementing the SRI project in 16 districts.