Old Mutual partners Care Malawi to support education sector

Old Mutual Blantyre Foundation Trust has signed a K108 million memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Care Malawi to contribute towards the improvement and expansion of infrastructure in the country’s education sector.

Through the partnership, the foundation will over three-year period support the construction of classroom blocks in selected rural primary schools.

The project will start with the construction of two classrooms and an administration block valued at K36 million at Mkanda Primary School in Mchinji District.

Old Mutual Blantyre Foundation Trust chairperson Tawonga Manda said the trust has been established to support the country’s economic transformation and benefit vulnerable communities in education, enterprise development and skills capacity building.

He said: “According to the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy III, education is identified as a key area for socio-economic development and industrial growth as it facilitates skills development.

“The country continues to grapple with serious classroom shortages, especially at primary school level, which leads to high pupil-classroom ratios and open-air classes that compromises the quality of learning in our schools.”

Manda said the support will contribute towards improved access to quality of basic education in rural communities.

In his remarks, Care Malawi country director Amos Zaindi said the partnership is a boost to the country’s education sector.

“This project will give a second chance to learners that dropped out of school due to various reasons,” he said.