By James Mwale

Cultural Heritage Corporation -Malawi-The Institute of Child and Human Development International (C.H.C-Malawi-ICHDI), has embarked on programme geared towards combating the rate of primary school drop-outs by addressing its psychological aspect.

According to C.H.C-Malawi-ICHDI Director Owen Mbewe, low performance by primary school students is mostly due to the teachers' failure to detect mental disorders in the students, which in turn reflects on high drop-outs.

"Mental disorders such as Attention Deficit can easily distract a student from concentrating on schoolwork and children with this disorder are usually impulsive, often acting before thinking as some quickly change from one activity to another," said Mbewe in an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana).

He also said the programme, which also eyes kindergarten children, mainly targets rural areas because "children in urban areas have easier access to medical care, physical or mental, as compared to one in the village."

The initiative, according to the Director, will take the form of workshops which where primary school teachers and nursery school care givers will be schooled on how to detect and address the mental disorders in time.

"We are working with Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry of Education and Director of chiefs who will help us identify the most critical rural areas and schools from which we should start."

He further disclosed that the programme would roll out soon after government's approval through response to the letter which had already been sent.

C.H.C-Malawi-ICHDI is a six-month old registered and approved Non Governmental Organisation (N.G.O) and the programme is being funded by Netherlands according to Mbewe.