By Joseph Ligowe

Blantyre, 17 July, Mana: Principal Secretary responsible for Basic Education in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Racheal Chimbwete Phiri has expressed satisfaction with progress of the construction work of a classroom block at Sigelege Primary School in Blantyre under Malawi Education Reform Program (MERP), which runs from 2021 to 2025.

Speaking after the inspection tour on Tuesday, Phiri said the project which is being implemented in all districts with support from World Bank and Global Partnership for Education is going on well especially the one she visited at Sigelege.

 “I am very satisfied with the steady progress and quality of the work being done by the contractor, I believe by the end of next month, roofing will be done as well.

“We believe that learners cannot concentrate in class if they learn under trees. All we want is to create a conducive learning environment for our children which will help to improve their performance in class,” she added.

Phiri therefore commended communities around Sigelege Primary School for providing labour, sand and water during the construction work, saying the gesture demonstrates their support to child education.

Head teacher of Sigelege School, Patricia Kamphamtengo hailed Ministry of Education for including her school in the implementation of MERP project saying the new classroom block will improve accommodation of learners and will help to create conducive learning environment.

“Initially, we had 12 classrooms and we could not manage to accommodate all learners at once hence some learners were learning in the afternoon while others in the morning. We will have additional two classrooms making it 14 and this will accommodate some learners,” added Kamphamtengo.

She also pledged to take good care of the newly constructed classroom block to benefit the current and future generation of the learners.