The construction of a girls’ hostel at Junju Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Traditional Authority Mwalweni in Rumphi District has given girls an opportunity to complete their studies in a safe environment.
Rumphi District Council constructed the K90 million facility under the World Bank-funded Governance to Enable Service Delivery (Gesd) project to improve academic performance among girls and reduce their dropout rates.
Junju CDSS deputy head teacher Brookes Msowoya said in an interview on Tuesday that many girls were performing poorly in Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations due to challenges associated with travelling long distances to school.
a hostel. | Taonga Nyirenda
He said signs of improvement are already visible as two out of the five students selected to public universities this year are girls.
“More girls are concentrating on their studies because they have a safe environment. This has contributed to improved performance and reduced absenteeism,” said Msowoya.
Form Three student Faith Mwambera said many girls previously walked more than 10 kilometres to school.
“Some girls dropped out and got married because of the challenges. At home, we were expected to do household chores before leaving for school,” said Mwambera.
She also said the long distances exposed girls to sexual abuse from some motorcycle taxi operators who took advantage of their situation.
“Now we feel safe and have enough time to study. I am among the top three students in my class,” said Mwambera.
Rumphi District Council director of planning and development Frank Mfune said projects under Gesd are helping to address critical challenges affecting communities in various sectors, including education.
Mfune said the council remains committed to ensuring that development projects respond to the needs of communities and improve service delivery.
