Parliamentary committee visits Mchinji teachers training college construction site
Parliamentary committee members on education science and technology have applauded government for plans to establish a teachers training college in Mchinji.
Speaking after visiting the construction site for Mchinji TTC in Traditional Authority Zulu on Wednesday, Chairperson of the committee, Dr Elias Chakwera said the committee was impressed that construction on the site has started.
“As Malawians we should be happy that there will be another teachers training college. With the increase in population, there is high demand for more teachers in schools in the country and we believe the coming in of Mchinji TTC will ease the shortage of these teachers,” he said.
Chakwera called on communities around the construction site to desist from vandalizing property at the site to ensure smooth sailing of the construction work.
“We believe there will be no hurdles because we have found the contractor, S.R Nicholas on the site and we have been assured that the contract with the financiers will be signed next month to ensure smooth completion of the college,” he said.
Chakwera said the committee visited the site to verify and see the progress of the college which was supposed to start in 2015.
“We appeal to government to finalise negotiations for the first phase of the project to avoid delays, we came to see on what is causing delays, but we have been assured that government is working on that,” he explained.
Site Engineer for S.R Nicholas Construction Company, Allan Phi said the main structures which will be built on the site include administration and academic blocks, hostels for male and female students and lecturers houses.
“We expect to start the construction work after signing the contract, with the first phase expected to be completed in 2019,” he explained.
Government secured funds for the construction of the Mchinji TTC from Saudi Fund and BADEA at an estimated cost of USD11 million for the first phase.
