Learners in Traditional Authority Kalolo in Lilongwe District have expressed excitement with the construction of classroom and administration blocks at Chibungu Community Day Secondary School (CDSS).
The new CDSS, constructed under the World Bank’s Governance to Enable Service Delivery (Gesd), opened its doors in September 2024 and it currently admits Form One learners only.
In an interview on Tuesday, Form One learner Creener Malili said girls were experiencing many challenges on their way to Katsuma CDSS, six kilometres away.
She said: “Men used to take advantage of our friends when going to school.
“Some were also reporting late for classes. This affected their performance as they were not able to concentrate in class. We consider ourselves lucky to learn within reach.”
Another student, Richard Mbewe, thanked government for providing the school with potable water.
“When the school opened in September 2024, we were worried about the availability of water. Now we have a water point which has helped us maintain hygiene and sanitation,” he said.
A teacher, Willard Chirwa, said the new school has motivated learners who dropped out to return.
“As a teacher, nothing excites me more than seeing learners who dropped out returning to class,” he said.
Chirwa described the enthusiasm among the pioneer students as encouraging, saying they will lay a solid foundation for future cohorts in the area.
“The new CDSS was long overdue in the area. Now students from the surrounding areas will no longer travel long distances to Katsuma CDSS,” he said.
Lilongwe district commissioner Lawford Palani assured people of Lilongwe that the council will implement different projects through various financial windows such us Constituency Development Fund, District Development Fund and Gesd.
