Malawi in need of K3 trillion to construct additional secondary schools: 140 440 students miss selection
The Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Agnes Nyalonje, has disclosed the government is in need of K2.85 trillion to construct new secondary schools across the country.
Nyalonje made the revelation at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe where she was addressing journalists on the outcome of the 2020 Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) Examination and selection for the Form One students.
The minister, who had earlier briefed President Lazarus Chakwera, disclosed that out of the 225 387 students who passed the 2019/20 examinations, only 84 947 candidates have been selected to start Form One in various secondary schools, leaving out 140,440 eligible students because of severe shortage of spaces in the country’s secondary schools.
“It is for this reason that my ministry has made construction of additional secondary schools a top priority because to double the transition rate from 37.73 percent to 76 percent we need 949 secondary schools which translates into 11,388 classrooms and 5,694 classroom blocks,” said Nyalonje.
“Costed at MK3 Billion per school, this comes to MK2.85 Trillion. If we were to stagger the construction of these schools across a five-year period we would require MK569 Billion per year,” she added.
Flanked by senior officals from the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and the Malawi Police Service (MPS), Nyalonje explained that the 250 secondary schools being supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will create 1,000 classrooms by 2023.
She said currently 44 of these schools have been completed and by the end of 2021, an additional 40 schools will be completed.
“The low overall selection rate reflects the low number of secondary school places available across the country and a collective national failure to meet the needs of our young people. As a ministry, and as Tonse Alliance, we commit to working with all relevant stakeholders to try and address the need for secondary school places. And that is why my ministry is doing everything possible to speed up the construction the rest of the 206 schools,” narrated the minister.
Meanwhile, Nyalonje has announced that all the students who have been selected to start Form 1 are requested to report to the secondary school they have been selected on Monday, 1st February, 2021.
The government has to analyze the reasons why we have such large numbers of pupils in schools. The population is growing at an uncontrolled rate. Family planning issues must be seriously taken into consideration. It seems there is not activity for people apart from having sex. In 1977, Malawi had about 4 million people and now the population has quadrupled with almost the same number of schools and hospital. The number of schools was supposed to increase with population. How many schools did Bakili Muluzi build? How many schools did APM build? The CDSS are of very low standards. The… Read more »
This is nonsense. Malawians are one of the least populated people in the World. Population growth is normal and it is actually an advantage if we get our house in order.
When we say we need, does this mean we will generate it, or we expect it to fall like mana?
Let’s construct additional blocks at every full primary school to cater for secondary school.No need for students to be selected somewhere.They will be attending Secondary education at the same primary school.What matters is learning and teaching materials and qualified teachers.This is what Tanzania do.Izizi zoti mwana azichoka ku Thyolo kupita ku Likuni boys or girls ndi za chikale and very costly with the levels of poverty in this country.We this we shall just need few elite government schools in each region to cater for the brightest student.
Tengani zimene akuti agulirira ndegezo. Ndinge yokwera a president ndi anthu ochepa pamene ana a school ndi ambiri. Pangani zithu zopindulira aMalawi ambiri. Anawa ndi chuma chatsongolo la dziko la Malawi. Ntchito muwanamize school alepherenso ndipo achulukirenji. Kodi amalangiza aChakweraw ndi ndani?