Reformatory centre in need of resources

Chilwa Reformatory Centre principal Moffat Hara says the institution needs teaching resources to help impart vocational skills to children.

He said this on Saturday in Zomba District when Deputy Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Agnes Nkusa Nkhoma visited the centre.

Hara said the centre, a home to children in conflict with the law, lacks basic resources to help transform them into productive citizens.

He said: “We need teaching resources in fields such as carpentry and tailoring.

“Reformation needs practice and not theory as such we need resources if the institution is to accomplish its obligations.”

Chilwa Reformatory Centre primary school head teacher Geoffrey Shamu said they also need special skills in handling some children who are unfriendly to teachers.

He said in college, they did not undergo training on how to teach children in conflict with the law.

Said Shamu: “We also need new infrastructure to accommodate children in primary section.

“The institution has children who are in Standard One to Six, but it has one classroom.”

He said creating five new classrooms will help to decongest the classroom amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nkusa Nkhoma described the conditions at the institution as sad and called for swift action to create a conducive environment for the children.

She said: “The future belongs to the children and, as a country, we will be accountable to anything that will affect the children at this centre if we fail to invest in them.

“Vocation skills and education are part of their development.”