By Steve Chirombo

Dedza, March 23, Mana: Communities under Mwenje area in Traditional Authority Kaphuka in Dedza district, were all smiles on Friday with hopes for improved education standards when the district council officially handed over Katongole school block worthy over K58 million under the World Bank’s Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) project.

Vice Council Chairperson for Dedza district council, Shyreen Gamulani, said she hoped more parents will now start sending their children to school citing rumors that most parents and guardians kept their wards at home for fear of unconducive learning environment at the school.

“This handover of a school block today should not only be a demonstration but rather to aid our children access quality education because we all know that education is key to social-economic development,” she said.

Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Willard Gwengwe, who officially opened the school block, expressed gratitude for the project. He further asked the learners to be exemplary and work hard in their studies in order to become successful future leaders.

On his part, Julius Kamwaza, Dedza District Council Chief Education Officer, said issues of learning space were a huge concern in the ministry as well as in schools around the district and that the handing over of the school block was a great step ahead that aligns with the Malawi 2063 agenda being pursued by the Malawi government under the leadership of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera whose one goal is to provide quality education to the citizenry.

“We hope this development will benefit the whole Mwenje catchment area. And as council, we are very satisfied with the standard of the building after recommending some defects to which the contractor complied to. It is therefore our plea to the community members, learners and the teachers to take care of the structure,” he said.

He however noted that despite the challenges the education sector is facing, government is doing its best as funds towards acquisition of teaching and learning materials have more than doubled.

He appealed for more partners to assist, observing despite the effort by government, enrollment numbers are still high.

A standard seven learners at the school, Mphatso Evason, said they appreciate government for the school block, the desks and latrines saying in the absence of these, they found learning environment not conducive.

She called on her fellow learners to care for the structure for their benefit and those to come after them.