China hands over K720 million primary school buildings

The Government of Malawi on Thursday received a $1.6 million (K720 million) Mkwichi Modern Primary School from the People’s Republic of China.

The primary school which is located in area 47 Sector 4 in Lilongwe will enrol 300 pupils.

Speaking in Lilongwe during the handover ceremony, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Lucious Kanyumba said the environment at the school is conducive for learners.

“I am asking you teachers and pupils at this school to work hard so that you can produce good results to match the school’s standard,” said Kanyumba.

He said government has put trust in the community to take care of the school saying that if vandalised the pupils will be the ones to suffer.

The minister then asked teachers and pupils to also take care of the school, saying this will encourage the development partners to continue constructing more schools.

Kanyumba also said the teacher-pupil ratio at the school is good, looking at the number of learners and teachers that have been deployed to teach at the school.

Speaking earlier, Chinese Ambassador to Malawi, Pan Hen Hejun said China attaches great importance to China-Malawi cooperation in education, adding that education is of life-changer.

“Educated young generation is of great importance of the social and economic development of Malawi and the future of China-Malawi friendship,” said Pan.

He said Chinese contractor, Shanghai Constructing Group, has completed the project with quality and efficiency.

The ambassador added that the contractor has also donated furniture and teaching equipment to the school to allow operational to start within a short period of time.

The headteacher of the newly constructed school, John Nthembwe, assured government that the school will be taken care of.

Traditional leader representative, Alex Shemu, said the school will help pupils reduce long walking distance they had to attend free primary schools in Area 18.

“Children were walking long distances to attend free primary education in area 18 and this was also a threat to their lives as they were supposed to cross very busy roads and in the process being hit by cars and bicycles,” said Shemu.

He said three children lost lives on their way to school after been hit by cars.

The traditional leader asked government to continue assisting them with maintenance of the school to its standards saying that the school authorities and community around cannot manage to do that on their own.

He also asked Mkwichi Secondary School staff to work together with the primary school staff to maintain the beauty of the school.

The construction of the school started in July 2012. The school is expected to open in January and has eight classrooms, three offices, one library, one football field and two basket ball courts.