Youth Education Network launches ‘School after School’ initiative in Karonga
A Karonga-based non-profit making organisation, Youth Education Network (YEN), has launched a project, ‘School after School,’ whose chief aim is to allow the school going population in the district to get a chance of attending lessons virtually after their normal school calendars.
Among others, the organisation has sourced plasma screens that will be mounted in strategic locations in the district through which recorded video lessons will be beamed for learners both in primary and secondary schools.
Speaking during the launch of the initiative at Mwenilondo on Saturday, YEN executive director, Wisdom Mawowa, said the ‘School after School’ initiative was came following a needs assessment that laid bare the fact that the young population in Karonga is slowly degenerating into activities that are unhealthy for their lives.
“Karonga is a town that is growing at a supersonic speed and, as such, a lot is happening, including many dropping out of school. The ‘School after School’ initiative has been launched after consultations with traditional leaders, parents, education authorities and the learners who have welcomed it entirely.
“What will happen is that through a timetable that has been designed, each class will have the benefit of accessing their materials and learn. As YEN, we understand the fact that there aren’t enough teachers in the country and the ‘School after School’ initiative is partly helping fill that gap because though physical teachers will not be there, learners will be able to follow the lessons without difficulties,” Mawowa told Nyasa Times.
According to Mawowa, YEN is a brainchild of secondary and primary school teachers across the country who have volunteered their knowledge and expertise to come up with the initiative.
YEN board chairperson, Thomas Nyirongo, said the motive of the ‘School after School’ initiative was to improve the quality of education amongst the youthful population in the district by making them busy through the virtual lessons.
“Our goal is that this should spread to other parts of the country, and it is our prayer that the government, especially the Ministry of Education, and other well-wishers come in and support this initiative especially through provision of equipment,” Nyirongo said.
Speaking on behalf of Principal Group Village Headman (GVH) Mwangolera, Blackmore Kumwenda while describing the initiative as imperative said as traditional leaders, they would institute frameworks to support it.
“This is an important initiative. As chiefs we will put in place by-laws so that any school-going child who is not attending the lessons should be punished,” Kumwenda said.
And Cecilia Lungu, a Form Four student at Mwenilondo Community Day Secondary School (CDSS), who attended one of the virtual lessons during the launch, said the initiative is a blessing.
“The lesson was like I was in class. The delivery was awesome, and as I am preparing for my MSCE exams, I will take these lessons very seriously. I encourage my fellow students around here to do the same,” she said.
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