By Islamic Relief Malawi
Islamic Relief Malawi (IRM) has handed over seven classroom blocks with two classes each to seven primary schools in Blantyre. Pupils in these schools have been learning outside without a shade and in dilapidated blocks which posed a danger to their lives.
The 60 million Kwacha blocks have been reconstructed at Makhetha, Mpata and Namilango primary schools at Traditional Authority (T/A) Machinjiri and Kapeni, with funding from Islamic Relief Canada. Four other blocks at Mpachika, Mpapa, Nasiyaya and Khola Primary Schools at T/A Somba were constructed with funding from Islamic Relief USA.
Speaking during the official handover of the school Blocks IRM Protection and Inclusion Coordinator, Ajasi Hussein said the structures will ease some of the challenges pupils have been facing.
“Our role is to safeguard children’s rights and one of which is to make sure they are learning under a conducive environment. Following our assessment, upon identifying the classroom block challenge we decided to reach out to the selected schools.” he said.
Hussein further said that the organisation is aware of the many challenges the schools are facing such as lack of water and sanitary facilities.
“It is in our plan to have these facilities available in the schools before the end of the project in 2024.”
Prior to the classroom blocks IRM has donated 100 desks to each primary school, reusable sanitary Pads and underwear to adolescent female learners, school bags, and other learning materials including movable chalkboards.
Desk Officer for Primary Education, Peter Bodza who graced the handover ceremony as guest of honour commended IRM for the donation saying it will take the schools a long way in as far as promoting education is concerned.
“Our primary schools are facing so many challenges including lack of classrooms, this makes learners not attend classes during rainy season and when it is cold, resulting in poor performance. We believe that the classrooms will help keep the learners in school.
“I urge all learners to take care of any development that is being rendered to the schools including the blocks and work hard in class in appreciation of the donation,” said Bodza.
Among other notable persons who graced the occasion were Primary Education Advisors, Councillor Jonnas Kamwendo who represented the Blantyre City Council and Mtisunge Masache, Chairperson for the school management committee who also represented parents at Namilango Primary School.
Masache expressed relief upon the completion of the construction. She said she feared for lives of the children and that the old blocks were likely to completely fall at any time especially during the rainy season.
According to Makhetha Primary School headmistress Norleen Kachale, the school has 4328 learners with less than 20 classrooms which forces the school to conduct learning in two shifts, one in the morning and one in afternoon for each class. This also makes individual learner assessment difficult resulting into poor performance. This is also a case with other schools in here mentioned.
Islamic Relief is a humanitarian non-governmental organisation supporting vulnerable communities in Blantyre through different projects and has been working in Malawi since 2006. Apart from this Integrated Protection and Basic Needs Support (IPBNS) project, IRM is implementing the Ultra-Poor Graduation Program (UPG), Orphan Sponsorship and seasonal projects like Ramadan, Qurban among others.
