Secondary schools project excites Karonga DEC

Karonga District Executive committee (DEC) members say government’s decision to construct seven additional secondary schools in the district will reduce long distances that students endure.

Speaking on Friday during the DEC meeting, one of the teachers, Noah Simwaka, said enrolment  was expected to increase once the schools were built.

“It is a good development to have seven more secondary schools. This will go a long way in reducing school dropouts in the district,” he said.

In his presentation, Karonga district education manager Scotch Kondowe said each area development committee (ADC) of Wasambo, Mwilang’ombe, Lupembe, Kilupula and Mwakaboko will have a secondary with Mbande getting two because it has more primary school learners but few secondary schools.

“I am pleased to inform DEC members about this development. The district commissioner advised my office to identify seven sites for these secondary schools; hence, taking it to this committee to assist the six ADCs with the project’s implementation and monitoring,” he said.

In an interview later, Kondowe said the criteria for identifying the construction sites was that each ADC provides land in excess of five hectares which is at least seven kilometres from the existing secondary school and has about five feeder primary schools.