Education ministry engages extra gear on desks, teaching and learning materials

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology says it has engaged extra gear to fast-track the ongoing delivery of desks, and teaching and learning materials in a bid to stem out an acute shortage in some schools across the country.

About K2.5 billion has been set aside for the production of desks for both primary and secondary schools for all the 34 education districts in Malawi.

A total of 32, 000 double seater desks will be distributed to all the primary schools, while 27, 000 single seater desks will go to the secondary section.

According to an official of the Ministry, 18, 000 primary school desks have already been shipped out to various delivery hubs across the country. For the secondary sector, about 16, 000 desks have been delivered.

Mobile chalk boards, science kits and tables, text books and teaching and learning materials for special needs education are also some of the items currently under delivery across the regions.

“We have, within the constraints of resources, remained on course on this exercise. We anticipate full delivery in the next one month, the official said.

This is in response to a growing challenge of desks, class space and teaching and learning materials, brought about by a surge in enrolment of learners over the years due to the introduction of free primary school education in 1994 and the compulsory Primary Education in 2013.

Currently, the country has over 5, 700 primary schools across the country, with about 5 million learners in class. In 2017 alone, nearly 1 million pupils were enrolled in Standard One.

The gains that the country realized from implementing free primary school education have posed very huge challenges in that, the growth and expansion that occurred at that level surpassed available material resources, such as desks.

Although the schools are now managed by local authorities under decentralization, the Ministry has taken this step to help ease the burden, and also to ensure that learners are taking their classes in a conducive environment.

Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Bright Msaka, says resources that could be used to procure the needed furniture and other items are available at local authorities under initiatives such as the Local Development Fund, Constituency Development Fund and District Development Fund. Unfortunately, he says, this is not the case.

“Members of Parliament are fond of constructing school blocks, and they do this for visibility and popularity. However, they dont buy the desks, Msaka said.

This has left many of such structures operating as schools without the necessary furniture, subjecting learners and teachers to unfavourable learning conditions, and piling undue pressure on government to find lasting solutions to the emerging challenges.

And speaking during the presentation of the 2018/2019 budget plan in parliament on Friday, Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe said government has made procurement of desk one of the priority areas in the education sector.

“No pupil in this country will ever be without a desk,” Gondwe said.

According to the Ministry, procurement of desks and chairs for learners is a continuous process as enrollment continues to swell. The Ministry also says there is need to continuously replace worn out pieces of furniture in the schools.

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Listen and Love
5 years ago

Good news. Boma keep it up. Now think and install solar electricity in all public learning institutions. Chonde osasolola ndalama za boma when procuring these learning materials. THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT

Nabetha
Nabetha
5 years ago

This is what I call decisiveness and a great departure from cheap talk and hand clapping spirit! Why don’t this government do the same for dealing with corruption? Have you got to wait for campaigns to take correct action?

Tsambi Moyazo
Tsambi Moyazo
5 years ago

This is commendable. Good learning environment is key to success among learners.

Tuti
Tuti
5 years ago

Some commentators here, I am sorry to say, are just driven by blind loyalty towards political ideas of their choice. But then it’s a free world and everyone is entitled to their opinion. How can one say the desks are being delivered to cheat people? Which people because as far as I know the beneficiaries are the young learners and the managers of the schools, who are finding this development very timely and appreciative. These desks are for the schools, and not for members of the public to take home. While we are free to criticise, let’s also learn to… Read more »

URIM AND THUMIM
5 years ago

UDF DID THE SAME PLAN —GOING CORNER TO CORNER
WITH ONE LORRY CARRYING
MAIZE —PRETENDING AS IF IT WAS SO
MANY TRUCKS FERRYING MAIZE BUT IT WAS ONLY ONE TRUCK SHOWING HERE TOMORROW THERE –THE SAME IS HAPPENING WITH
THESE DESKS JUST TO CHEAT PEOPLE —WHY ?? ANTHUWATU
ATITOLA KWABASI KWACHE !!

Malawians
Malawians
5 years ago

Where were these desk 4 years ago? Malawi Dzuka👎

#DzukaniAmalawi
#DzukaniAmalawi
5 years ago

Mwadzukatu DPP! In these days of social media, the government will continously be embarrased by photos showing lack of delivery in the rural areas. Time for lying is long gone as people are empowered to show the rest of the world what DPP isn’t doing despite the MK1,5 trillion budget. Now all of a sudden there’s money to buy desks just because the ruling party has been exposed

Nox Nthambi
Nox Nthambi
5 years ago

The whole minister just delivering desks which can even be delivered by district education manager or regional educational manager. This country is a joke. Desks can not win you votes. Kamuzu developed this country this country beyond recognition but was shown the exit by the same people who sang and clapped hands for him for 31 years.

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