Out of the figure, 5, 943 are boys while 5, 248 are girls, totaling 11, 191.

District Chief Education Officer Macshades Dakamau said they are engaging various stakeholders including mother groups to make follow ups and bring back the learners when the school opens early January, 2021.

"COVID 19 has indeed hit us hard. We are trying our best engaging various people and groups to reverse the situation," said Dakamau.

This is happening when the district is experiencing rampant child marriages, teenage pregnancies, child labor and lack of interest from some parents to encourage their children to attend school.

Meanwhile, the new bishop of Independent Pentecostal Church, Bishop Daniel Masanduko, said  his church has introduced parenting programs to establish a sense of responsibility among parents to take care of their children and make sure that they that go to school.

The Bishop believes the initiative will also assist to end gender based violence.

"As the church, we are trying our best to help the people both spiritually and physically. We have constructed a decent house for a family with two children with albinism and doing various programs to protect the rights of children and women," said Bishop Masanduko.

Chikwawa district has over 183, 000 primary school learners.