Govt, Healthy Learners sign MoU

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Healthy Learners to integrate standardized health rooms into school infrastructure under the School Health Programme. Speaking during the signing ceremony at Sandy’s Creation Resort in Lusaka, Permanent Secretary Nicholas Phiri said the initiative reflects government’s deliberate policy to create a more conducive learning environment for pupils. Mr Phiri emphasized that all education facilities funded under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) will, as a matter of policy, incorporate health rooms in their designs.

“There cannot be education without a healthy body,” Mr. Phiri stated, adding that the move will improve access to basic health services for learners and reduce the distances pupils travel to seek care. Mr Phiri stressed that partnerships remain key to delivering quality education in a healthy and supportive environment.

Parliamentary Caucus on School Health Chairperson and Itezhi-Tezhi MP, Twaambo Mutinta, said the agreement responds directly to President Hakainde Hichilema’s call for schools to provide comprehensive care that safeguards both the health and education needs of learners. Mr Mutinta commended the ministry for translating stakeholder aspirations into concrete action. And Healthy Learners Deputy CEO Angel Chelwa described the MoU as an important step toward improving coordination and sustainability of the School Health Programme.

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Chelwa noted that since 2014, the programme has trained more than 7,000 school health teachers across all ten provinces, currently reaching nearly 1.2 million learners. “The target is to reach three million learners by 2028, requiring about 2,000 health rooms and 15,000 trained teachers,” she said. She emphasized that the ministry’s oversight of infrastructure, district planning and decentralized services makes the partnership both logical and necessary.

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