Catholics open school in Chitipa
Bishop Martin Mtumbuka of Karonga Diocese on Monday opened St Ignatius of Loyola Secondary School at Nthalire in Chitipa.
The boarding school is situated almost 115 kilometres east of Chitipa Boma where students endure long walks to school.
During the opening ceremony, the bishop said Umutaluwabo and Johanesbee foundations from Germany funded construction of the school to the tune of 265 000 euros (about K225 million) to reduce poverty and illiteracy in rural areas.
“Children in Nthalire come from some of the poorest families in the country. They strive to access quality education but cannot get it because schools are far apart. As such, we need your assistance to bail them out of this situation,” Mtumbuka told Umutaluwabo board chairperson Markus Schawabe.
He urged parents to take full responsibility for the education of their children.
“Unlike in the past, when our parents were doing all they could to raise school fees for their children, it is very surprising and worrisome that some wait until their children have been selected to secondary school to start looking for fees,” he said.
Northern division education manager Temwa Msiska commended the Catholic Church for working with government to improve access to quality education.
St Ignatius Loyola is the second Catholic secondary school in Chitipa after Kaseghe Girls in Mwabulambya.
It enrolled 140 boys and girls in Form One this year. n
