Students at Kabuwa Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Traditional Authority Khosolo in Mzimba District have expressed excitement with the construction of a girls’ hostel at the school.
Construction of the 120-bed hostel started in 2016 with funding from Constituency Development Fund, but progress stalled at foundation level.
However, Mzimba South East legislator Ackson Kalaile Banda (People’s Party) announced on his Facebook page progress of construction works.
In an interview yesterday, he said the structure, which is almost complete, will be ready in the 2025/26 academic year starting in September.
“What is remaining is plastering and some finishing touches,” said Banda.
Form Two student Chimwemwe Kalinde said she was pleased with the new hostel, saying she covers long distances to school.
“Walking long distances drains my energy for classes as I often reach school late and tired,” she said.
Kalinde said some students are renting houses around the school to live near the institution.
The school’s head boy Steve Tembo said most girls who fail to cope with long distances and lack the means to support themselves on self-boarding just drop out.
Kabuwa CDSS head teacher Watson Mwale said the hostel will solve the problem of accommodation as most girls who are selected to the school do not complete their education.
“Girls are forced to walk long distances to attend classes. As a result, some drop out. The CDSS has five feeder primary schools and the farthest is located 32 kilometres away. So imagine a girl selected from that primary school, how is she going to walk to school?” he said.
Mwale said the hostel will motivate girls to work hard and improve enrolment among students, especially girls.
