Khato Civils has asked academic institutions to utilise the Salima Lilongwe Water Supply project for study tours to deepen knowledge among students undertaking relevant programmes.
Speaking in Salima on Saturday when Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) engineering students visited the project site, Khato Civils project manager Tinoferei Mawanza said study tours are a key learning component as they affirm what the students are taught in class.
He said: “I encourage other universities and institutions to visit the project during this prime time [of construction] to learn from what is being done on site because once this project has been commissioned they will not be able to learn as much as they can learn from it now.”
Mawanza conducted the students through three of the project sites, explaining the operations from an engineering perspective.
About 90 students pursuing agricultural engineering, environmental engineering and irrigation engineering at Luanar participated in the study tour.
Luanar water resources engineering senior lecturer Lameck Fiwa thanked Khato Civils for opening its doors to students, saying such educational trips are vital for bridging the gap between theory and practice.
He said: “This enhances experiential learning and exposes learners to real-world professional settings. Today, the students had an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world contexts.
“They were able to observe, appreciate and experience concepts such as hydraulics, designing, excavation, construction materials, plant and machinery, structures, hydrology and engineering professional practice, hence deepening their understanding and retention of academic material.”
Fiwa said that through such trips, students develop critical thinking, teamwork, and social awareness while fostering motivation and personal growth.
One of the students, Cuthbert Khunga, said the trip helped them to appreciate practical aspects of what they learned in class.
According to Mawanza, the project involves the pumping of 100 million litres of water per day through 120 kilometres from Lake Malawi to Kanengo Terminal Reservoirs, which is then distributed to Lilongwe residents and surrounding areas.
