Norwegian Airlines chief executive officer Geir Karlsen has expressed satisfaction with the implementation of preparatory classes (p-classes) in Salima District, describing the initiative as an important step towards improving early childhood learning.
He made the remarks on Wednesday during a visit to selected beneficiary schools in the district, which Norway is supporting through the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).
Karlsen said the visit provided an opportunity for the donors to appreciate the progress made under the programme.
He said: “I am satisfied to see how the children have improved in their learning under the programme.
“We are giving something as Norwegians, but also our passengers are donating to Unicef every year. So, we have donated millions of dollars over the years.”
Karlsen assured the Malawi Government that Norway will continue supporting the programme and other initiatives through Unicef, a partnership that has lasted for almost 20 years.
Unicef-Norway leader Maria Greenberg Berghein said the p-class is important to under-five children as it gives them a strong foundation for learning.
“We also acknowledged that the programme still faces challenges, including cases of children attending classes without having eaten, which could be looked into,” she said.
Salima district commissioner Thokozire Munthali expressed gratitude to Norway and Unicef for their continued support towards education development.
“We are happy that our children in Salima are also benefitting from p-classes and this will help them have a good foundation,” she said.
Salima district director of education Veronica Nyaka said p-classes were helping learners improve their foundational learning skills, emphasising the need to strengthen the initiative.
Currently, the preparatory classes are running in 12 schools in the lakeshore district with support from the World Bank and 15 schools with support from Unicef.
