Ireland donates school blocks and desks to Malawi catholic primary school in Karonga
The Irish government has handed over two school blocks of four class rooms and 240 double desks worthy €25,000 (about K13 Million) to St. Joseph the Worker, a catholic primary school under the Karonga Diocese of Roman Catholic Church.
Speaking during the handover ceremony on Monday, Irish Ambassador to Malawi, Aine Hearns said that children must access basic quality education therefore it is the responsibility of the development partners to assist Malawi in addressing challenges like overcrowding and long distances to reach schools that affect pupils.
She said that the Irish government is interested to assist the northern Malawi, Karonga Diocese in particular with school infrastructure in order to reduce the teacher to pupil ratio and distance between learners’ homes and school.
“The Irish government has been supporting the Karonga Diocese since we opened our Embassy here in Malawi. We are not in education sector as a program but we have been able to assist the northern area with some resources in order to address the long distance and overcrowding challenges that affect most of the pupils especially the girl child.
“We see primary education as a key to achieve Malawi’s developmental agenda so children must access free primary education,” said Hearns.
She therefore advised parents and communities at large to keep their children especially girls in school and stop them from dropping out.
St. Joseph Primary School built at the cathedral of the diocese currently has standards one up to five learners due to limited blocks.
The school is remaining with two block classes in order to be a complete primary school.
According to District Education Manager for Karonga Scotch Kondowe, St. Joseph school is surrounded by four other primary schools. However, all these schools have challenging enrolments, creating a failure to follow recommended teacher to pupil ratio.
Kondowe also mentioned that most of the primary schools in Karonga district do not have enough desks, making them pupil unfriendly.
In his remarks, Bishop of Karonga Diocese his Lordship Martin Mtumbuka thanked the Irish Government through its Embassy for the support it has been rendering to the diocese.
Mtumbuka said that the diocese is striving hard to make sure that children access quality education.
He said that the diocese is also constructing a girls’ boarding secondary school that will accommodate over 600 students.
“As a diocese we are moving quite well in terms of education infrastrucre. The girls secondary school at Mwenilondo is on course and it will start in September next year (2016). We are also building a community secondary school at Wililo and we hope to finish it by the end of 2016,” said Bishop Mtumbuka.
The Diocese of Karonga was created in 2010 and it covers Karonga, Chitipa and part of northern Rumphi district.
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My Bishop mumayitha…Long Live. Many thanks to Ireland
Ndagha mwe bazungu, momuyeghe, ndagha fiyo.
Martin Mtumbuka is a big man! Karonga Diocese is lucky to have him; and many thanks to the Irish for this gesture! We are happy & proud of you the highly Catholic country of Ireland!
How is it Irelands responsibility to furnish malawian schools? I would say it was the malawian governments responsibility to put in place an infrastructure to educate the future generation of its people, and what is a development partner? Surely a partnership is based on bpth parties benefiting from anyanytransaction
How is it Irelands responsibility to furnish malawian schools? I would say it was the malawian governments responsibility to put in place an infrastructure to educate the future generation of its people, and what is a development partner? Surely a partnership is based on bpth parties benefiting from anytransaction
Ireland to help Northern Region, Scotland aready set foot there first, USA with Clinton foundation ha e set foot there, who is next?
long live Bishop Mtumbuka.development oriented alwayz.these are the leader we want in the northern region to specific.Lets develop our north.Let them stay with their presidency .
Congratulation RCC!
congratulation father of karonga dioses, we are waiting more from you apart from T fm and primary school, you are welcome.
CONGRATULATIONS BISHOP MTUMBUKA.