Monday marked a new chapter for pupils, parents and teachers at Madugu Primary School in Malawi’s lower Shire district of Chikhwawa when Member of Parliament for Chikhwawa Mkombezi Sidik Mia officially handed over a newly constructed school block to the community and government.
Mia, who is also Minister of Transport and Public Infrastructure, said the four-classroom block which cost K6 million (about $17 647) was built to encourage enrolment of children in school in the area of group village head Madugu, T/A Ngabu.
“It is my wish that we encourage children enrolment in the school at the right time. Most of the children withdrew from school because they could not endure covering long distances of at least 10 kilometres. But the commissioning of this school and more others to come will spur children to enrol,” said Mia.
He also presented 14 bicycles to teachers who live outside the school campus because of lack of staff houses.
Primary education adviser (PEA) for Ngabu Annet Mlotha said pupils used to learn under trees, a situation which distracted them.
“This is a good initiative because children enrol at the right age of 6. Because of this, we have seen a significant increase in enrolment at the school which previously had no structure worth calling a school,” she said.
The school, currently running up to Standard 6, has 711 pupils, according to head teacher Donald Chikanga.
