By Rosalia Kapiri

Kasungu, Mchinji, April 3, Mana: Students and teachers from various secondary schools in Mchinji and Kasungu have hailed the Malawi government for the construction of ICT laboratories across the country under the Connect A School (CAS) project.

CAS is a Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) project funded by the Authority’s digital inclusion arm, Universal Service Fund (USF), and currently, there are 75 ICT laboratories under construction nationwide, with many at 90 percent completion.

Speaking to Malawi News Agency during a tour of the ICT facilities in the districts on Thursday, the students and their teachers expressed joy and thanked government for the development.

Fungisai Kandaya, A Form 2 student at Misale Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Mchinji, said the ICT labs will play a crucial role in bridging knowledge gap among the students.

“I am happy that this facility is being established at my school: It will help me research on various topics related to my studies, moving beyond just reading books, and this will enable me and my fellow students excel academically,” she said.

Another student, Praise Chiponda, from Mtunthama All Saints CDSS in Kasungu, said the ICT laboratories in secondary schools will prepare students for higher education.

“It is high time all secondary schools had ICT labs. With this knowledge, we will enter college already familiar with computers and the internet, making our transition much easier,” Chiponda said.

Similarly, Head teacher at Misale CDSS, Aaron Masaile, commended the government for the CAS project, noting that it comes at a crucial time when technology is advancing rapidly.

He noted that students from remote areas will now have the same access to ICT resources as their counterparts in urban schools.

“This facility will benefit both students and the wider community by providing essential computer skills,” he said.

Ronald Tembo, USF Head acknowledged some challenges faced during the implementation of the project but he expressed satisfaction with the progress.

The project started in June 2024 and it is expected to end in June 2025 and, according to Tembo, four to five ICT labs are expected to be constructed in each constituency by 2030 under the project.

“This [2024-2025] is just the first phase, and soon we will commence Phase 2, which includes the construction of another 120 labs across the country,” Tembo explained.

Each lab will be equipped with 60 computers and free internet access, to ensure that students and communities benefit from digital learning opportunities.