Malawi government has stopped reproductive health non governmental organisations from distributing condoms in schools.
An official from the country’s Ministry of Education Science and Technology said condom distribution in schools was contrary to government policies.
This was disclosed on Tuesday during a workshop organized by Family Health International (FHi 360) in eastern Malawi’s small town of Balaka.
Speaking during the official opening of a three-day workshop, Director for Secondary and Distance Education in Malawi, Chikondano Mussa said they have learnt with concern that some partners distribute condoms to pupils in primary and secondary schools.
He said condom distribution defeats the strategy of promoting abstinence in schools.
The official said the education ministry is guided by policies that encourage teachers to preach about abstinence to learners and anything outside that is unacceptable.
“In the classrooms, we preach about abstinence and if we go around encouraging distribution of condoms, we may appear contradicting ourselves,” she said.
She however expressed satisfaction for what education partners such as FHI 360 are doing in complementing government’s efforts in protecting learners, especially adolescent girls and young women from catching HIV through education.
“South Education Division in collaboration with FHI DREAMS Innovation Challenge is trying to strengthen assets required for successful transition and completion of secondary education, and reduce HIV prevalence rate among adolescent girls and young women in Zomba and Machinga districts,” Mussa said.
She said it was worrisome that in Malawi there is proportionately a higher rate of HIV among adolescent girls compared to boys.
Mussa called for the coordination among stakeholders in addressing issues affecting girls that force them to drop out from school.
She further urged chiefs to be determined in ensuring that they end practices that promote transmission of HIV in their communities such as defilement, rape and early marriages.
Taking her turn, DREAMS Innovations Challenge Project Coordinator, Mary Mittochi, said their organization is striving to see a reduction HIV cases among adolescent girls by bringing together stakeholders which are implementing similar projects in eastern Malawi’s districts of Zomba and Machinga for them to come up with one action plan to address the challenges that they face.
She said the only way the girls could avoid contracting HIV was through education. She said that was why they were in forefront working with the Ministry of Education to address the challenges through different approaches.
