Raising Malawi, buildOn provide K195m to Kasungu school

United States (US)-based charity organisations buildOn and Raising Malawi have announced a US$250,000 [approximately K195 million] package for increasing and improving the quality of teaching and learning at Mbongozi Community Day Secondary Schoo (CDSS) in Kasungu.

The buildOn deputy country director, Robert Chikombe, said the package will go towards the construction of classroom blocks and teachers’ houses at the school.

“Under this project, we will construct two semi-detached classroom blocks and two semi-detached teachers’ houses will be constructed at the school. This translates into four modern classroom blocks and four teachers’ houses. We expect that the project will be completed in March 2019,” Chikombe explained.

Mbongozi CDSS is under Mthawira Education Zone in Kasungu and was opened in 2017 to provide space and access to secondary education to learners who are graduating from these 10 primary schools.

However, the school’s head teacher, Frank Gidala, said students endure  excruciating weather conditions to enjoy their right to education, especially during rainy seasons, lessons are offered under trees and makeshift classrooms.

“The blocks under which the students take their lessons look more of tobacco-barn sheds than classrooms; and, these have tended to demoralise and demotivate the learners,” he said, adding that he was not surprised to see 51 students leaving the school in the two years it has been operational.

“Because of the poor infrastructure, some students opted to drop out and concentrate on assisting their parents in their family and rented farms, while others, especially girls, chose to marry though at tender ages,” Gidala said.

Chikombe therefore disclosed that buildOn and Raising Malawi will seek communities’ commitment to undertake to promote education for their children, adult literacy, and education for the underprivileged.

He said the two organisations believe that everyone needs to take responsibility over the future of the country and work together to make education more inclusive to ensure no one is left behind in the pursuit for healthy societies for all.

“The communities will also be required to contribute sand, quarry stones and bricks. Of course, in the case of Mongozi CDSS, buildOn has indicated that we will use SSB [soil stabilised blocks] to achieve our laid down standards,” he explained.

“Furthermore, the beneficiary communities will be required to provide us with a committee, which will steer and oversee the implementation of the whole project. This is to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation of the project,” Chikombe added.

Raising Malawi Country Director Adam Gaskins said he expects that once the basic human rights such as that of education and health are met, social progress will accelerate dramatically in Kasungu.

Gaskins stated that this is what they hope to see as Malawi aspires to realise SDGs and Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) III.

Mthawira Primary Education Advisor (PEA) McBorlingal Chipiriro Tandwe stressed that more players need to come in to assist government address challenges dogging the education sector if Malawi is to achieve many of the ambitious development goals of inclusive growth, sustainable agriculture, and improved livelihoods.

STA Ndunga hailed the commitment by two organisations to invest in both basic and primary education will economically empower boys and girls to achieve their full potential.

“This school will change the face of this area and further open it to the whole nation. I am at a loss of words to express my gratitude and we pledge our commitment to contributing whatever is required of us,” Ndunga assured.

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) member of Parliament for Kasungu North East, Madalitso Kambauwa-Wirima, said she will personally mobilise people and provide necessary support to ensure communities have fully participated in the construction of the school blocks and teachers’ houses.

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