By Prisca Promise Mashushu

Machinga, Thursday 4, Mana; Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) project coordinator Khumbo Kasambala said the construction of the ICT labs in different schools will help to address some of the challenges that students face when accessing ICT lessons.

Kasambala made the remarks on Thursday after inspecting Nathando and Matandwe Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSS) in Zomba and Machinga, respectively, where lab facilities are being constructed by the Universal Service (USF) from MACRA.

He further explained that through USF, government decided to introduce lab construction in different parts of the country, especially in rural areas, where they face tremendous challenges when it comes to access to digital skills through the use of the internet.

“This project is helping students go digital and have access to all necessary information through the use of computers and the internet, which will help them grasp knowledge and understanding of lessons easily.

“Once all the ICT labs are complete, MACRA is going to provide free internet access within the schools and about 100 miles from the school to the surrounding communities,” he explained.

Lackson Joseph Chatha, who is the Headteacher at Matandwe CDSS in Zomba, applauded government through MACRA for its commendable job of constructing ICT labs that will benefit both teachers, students and the surrounding communities.

“The ICT lab being provided by MACRA will also be able to function as a library where all information is stored and boost the performance of students during their examinations,” he said.

He further said that the presence of the ICT labs will also help teachers when preparing lessons since they will be able to gain broad knowledge on the information gathered from the internet.

Adding to what Chatha explained, head teacher of Matandwe primary school Victor Kumwenda said the construction of the ICT lab at the new school of Nathando which will be launched soon has brought joy and hope to students that they will be able to learn at a conducive environment where all necessary resources for both teaching and learning are available.

“This is going to inspire the students who will start to learn at the school once completed, and this is enough for students to work hard and achieve their goals,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Group village head Mkolose said the development of the ICT labs has come at the right time when school blocks have also been constructed, as it will help to reduce the distance of students to attend classes compared to where they are currently studying.

He has also assured MACRA that the received materials will be well protected from thieves so that more people can benefit from them.

One of the students from Matandwe CDSS who is in form four has thanked government through MACRA for the construction of the ICT lab, as it will play a crucial role in providing more information on the internet by using the received computers.

She has, however, encouraged her fellow students to protect and use the labs in a good manner so that others can also use them in the future.