Impact of malaria on school children in Africa: a systematic review

Malaria is a critical public health concern globally, categorized as a parasitic, vector-borne tropical and subtropical disease (Park et al.,2022). This disease affects individuals residing in 85 countries worldwide (WHO.2023). Plasmodium falciparum is identified as the most common cause of human malaria and is associated with potentially severe complications (WHO.2024). The global burden of malaria is substantial. In 2022, the disease resulted in an estimated 249 million cases and 435,000 deaths worldwide. The WHO African Region, with an estimated 233 million cases in 2022, accounted for about 94% of cases globally. About 96% of malaria deaths globally were in 29 countries. Four countries accounted for just over half of all malaria deaths globally in 2022 – Nigeria (31%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12%), Niger (6%) and the United Republic of Tanzania (4%). A significant portion of the morbidity and mortality due to malaria occurs in Africa, particularly impacting vulnerable groups. A meta‐analysis in Ethiopia found a pooled prevalence of malaria in children under five of 22.03% (95% CI 12.25%–31.80%) (Biset et al.,2022). Evidence shows that malaria affects children’s health, learning and school participation. Repeated infections lead to anemia, fatigue and poor concentration, which contribute to reduced academic performance (Fernando et al., 2023). Knowledge regarding the effects of malaria on childhood risk and the attributable morbidity and mortality is urgently needed to inform evidence-based interventions. Malaria continues to pose a major threat to the health and education of school-aged children, especially in endemic regions of Africa, Asia and parts of Latin America, with a substantial proportion among children aged 5–14 years (WHO, 2023). Studies also report that malaria is a leading cause of school absenteeism, as infected children often miss several days or weeks of classes each year (Nankabirwa et al., 2022). Long-term, malaria can impair cognitive development and memory, especially following severe episodes such as cerebral malaria (Holding et al., 2023). Although Africa has half of the global infection rate and affecting mostly children. There has not been enough evidence to synthetised the impact of this infections on school children. In this review, the impact of malaria on school children will be evaluated and outcomes of this effects will be explored effectiveness. This will be measured by assessing the impact of malaria on school children and capacity building of healthcare workers, teachers, parents considering factors such as knowledge acquisition of how policy target this phenomenon and the overall contribution to improved school children learning and health outcomes. Synthesising evidence from a diverse range of studies, the review aimed to identify the strengths and limitations of how the impact of malaria on school children is been mirrored in Africa which is a highly endemic region. In addition, the researchers explored the factors influencing the successful interventions to mitigate the psychological, emotional and physical impact of academic performance on school children education. Malaria and education are cross-cutting issues, progress in health (SDG 3.3) directly supports progress in education (SDG 4.1). Poor health from malaria perpetuates poverty and educational disadvantage, while improved education promotes awareness and adoption of preventive health behaviors, creating a positive feedback loop toward sustainable development goal. Malaria undermines this goal by causing school absenteeism, cognitive impairment, and reduced academic performance in infected children. The purpose is to gain valuable insights into how malaria impact the education and continuous academic development of school children. Furthermore, this review aimed to inform healthcare, educational institutions, educator and policymakers about the potential of the threat malaria has on children especially for those in resource limited and hard-to-reach settings.