FDH graduate start-ups yield 100% pass rate
Mulanje-based Rise and Shine Primary School, established under the FDH Bank plc Graduate Start-Ups Programme, has achieved a 100% pass rate in the 2024/2025 Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examinations, just two and a half years after opening its doors.
The school enrolled 21 candidates, all of whom passed, with 12 securing places in national secondary schools.
Commenting on the milestone, FDH Bank plc Deputy Managing Director, George Chitera, said the success reflects the Bank’s commitment to empowering graduates and communities through its Graduate Start-Ups initiative and the broader FDH Bank plc Cares Sustainability Program.
“When we speak about championing growth and building a sustainable Malawi, these are the initiatives we are happy to grow and support and watch both the students benefit as well as the administrators of the schools. We are really impressed with the fruits of this project,” he said.
Chitera also pointed out that the Bank has added two more projects to the Graduate Start up program with Green Gold, a business that produces vegetables in Lilongwe and Livesmart Furnitures, a business focusing on producing quality locally made furniture.
Speaking on behalf of the school, one of the founders and directors, Vincent Kambuku, said that the school is proud of the strides it has made since opening.
“We are happy with the exponential growth of the school since inception, and this 100% pass rate milestone is not only a testament to the hard work we put in, but also our passion and commitment towards the provision of quality education in Malawi.”
“We received financial support from FDH Bank Plc at the beginning, and we still receive a lot of technical support from the team at the Bank, which has sharpened us to develop fast and meet our objectives,” said Kambuku.
Rise and Shine Primary School is one of the successful entrepreneurial ideas from the collaborative partnership between FDH Bank Plc and Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) aimed at supporting the Malawi2063 and UN Sustainable Development Goals through the provision of a platform for new graduates to pitch business ideas for funding and growth.