District education manager (DEM) for Zomba Rural, Charles Sakwata, has said religious institutions have a vital role to play in complementing government’s efforts in the development of education in the country.
He made the sentiments on Wednesday when Hope for the Future Baptist Church handed over Hope for the Future Elementary School which the church constructed in Bwanali Village in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Kuntumanji in the district.
“This school has spurred the figure of primary schools in Zomba Rural to 200, a development that brings hope of reducing pressure on our primary schools,” Sakwata said.
Missionary for the church in the country, Ovi Cornea, said his church felt duty bound to construct the school after observing that most children in the area start primary school late as they cannot afford to walk to Nsondole Primary School which is far away from the village.
“Our objective is to ensure that no child misses primary school education as it is crucial in teaching children basic things of life,” he said.
Director for the school, Stanley Thawe, called on the communities to send children to the school if illiteracy is to be eradicated in the area.
“Let us remember that the future belongs to children and we will be accountable to anything that affects these children if we fail to invest in their future at a tender age,” he said.
On his part, T/A Kuntumanji pledged that his community will take care of the school to fight ignorance in the area at grassroots level. n
