When Cyclone Chido swept across Kasungu in December 2024, it left more than twisted iron sheets and shattered roofs in its wake.
At Kasungu Secondary School, one of Malawi’s oldest public boarding institutions, the storm continues to disrupt learning over a year later.
The setback persists as contractors in June 2025 removed the wrecked roof from a classroom block scheduled for renovation.
The slow rehabilitation has left the block unusable, forcing students to overcrowd smaller rooms, with 90 students crammed in a room meant for 40.
Teachers and learners say although the cyclone only damaged part of the roof, contractors removed even sections that were still intact.
The affected classes shifted to the library and computer laboratory facilities designed for small groups.
On hot afternoons, the air reeks of sweat, voices compete for attention and the movement of teachers and learners is restricted as two congested classes learn side by side, sharing desks and limited space.
The school has merged two streams of learners, straining both teaching and learning materials, limiting student participation and reducing individual attention.
“Our learning has suffered heavily,” says head prefect Timothy Banda. “There’s no breathing space. Even group discussions are impossible.”
Confusion deepened when contractors began digging up classroom floors, leaving the roof unrepaired.
According to engineer Oliver Nyirenda, the contractor cleared the floors on instructions from hiring authorities while the ripped roof was infested with termites.
The K280 million project was scheduled to run from June to September 2025, but work stalled due to non-payment.
Nyirenda told The Nation that he used personal funds to get the renovation underway, but did not get reimbursement from the Ministry of Education despite repeated attempts to secure payment.
The contractor received part payment after seeking legal interventions, he said.
During talks to settle the dispute, the contractor and the Ministry of Education reportedly agreed to resume the works, but no work has been done since last year.
Some sources say the ministry has terminated the contract with Olix Engineering and plans to engage a new contractor, but Nyirenda says he has not received any formal notice of termination.
“We were told to wait as paperwork was being finalised so that we could resume work on the ground. Up to now, we are still waiting,” he states.
The growing uncertainty has left students learning in unfavourable and unsanitary conditions, with the rainy season underway.
The heat inside the congested classroom compounds the problem.
Distractions and discomfort worsen as temperatures surge.
“For girls, it is even harder to stand up and answer questions,” he says. “The heat is too much, the space is too small and learning becomes uncomfortable. Overcrowding drains their confidence,” says Banda.
Teachers are equally strained as managing nearly 100 students in a confined space makes supervision difficult and interactive learning nearly impossible.
The Ministry of Education requires a classroom to hold no more than 60 students, but the United Nations recommends 40 learners per class.
With two classes merged, the high teacher-to-student ratio makes teaching and learning difficult.
Meanwhile, the abandoned classroom block continues to deteriorate. With no roof to shield the ancient brick walls from rain, the structure has developed visible cracks.
School authorities fear prolonged exposure to rainfall could weaken the building further, raising the risk of collapse if repairs delay further.
Kasungu Secondary School opened in 1964, the year Malawi won independence from Britain.
Its enrolment has swelled from 320 students to 390.
Beyond the ruined classroom block, Cyclone Chido destroyed the roofing of a kitchen, two teachers’ houses and the science laboratory.
The school temporarily repaired the kitchen and staff houses before the Ministry of Education deployed contractors.
Kasungu Municipality member of Parliament Noel Mkubwi (independent), calls for swift intervention.
“This is pathetic. We are already in the rainy season. This matter must be treated with urgency,” he says.
Kasungu Municipality mayor Hestings Nyirongo pledged to engage relevant authorities to restore a conducive learning environment.
“This is an issue that cannot be ignored,” Nyirongo said.
Meanwhile, students continue learning shoulder-to-shoulder in crowded settings as the long wait for renovations meant to restore normalcy ramble on without any certainty.
