Poor sanitation forces 2 primary schools to close

Karonga District Council has suspended classes at Nthambo and Ndomo primary schools in the district due to poor sanitation.

Karonga District director of education, youth and sports Sarah Jere said this on Friday when National Initiative for Civic Education Trust  presented its annual programme to the council.

She said: “The council established that Nthambo Primary School in Chiwondo Zone has no functioning toilets while Ndomo Primary School in Hangarawe Zone has one toilet.

“So, we suspended classes as a precautionary measure against the cholera outbreak.”

Jere said the schools will reopen after addressing the situation.

“I appeal to stakeholders to help the schools to construct the toilets so they can reopen soon,” she said.

Hangarawe Zone primary school adviser Wilfred Sinyiza said learners at Ndomo Primary School have spent two weeks without going to school.

He encouraged parents to help in constructing toilets at the school.

“But the response from the parents is not encouraging. We will not be able to reopen the school if the community does not heed our call to construct toilets at the school,” said Sinyiza.

His Chiwondo Zone counterpart Elias Mwalwanda said  Nthambo Primary School is just offering lessons to Standard Eight learners.

He said: “However, we have decided to introduce shifts to avoid congestion.

“Some learners will have their classes in the morning while others will attend afternoon classes.”

As one way of preventing the spread of cholera, the Ministry of Health ordered schools to ensure that they have functioning toilets.

The other recommendations include ensuring availability of water and personal hygiene practices such as washing hands with soap after using a toilet and before eating food.

As of Saturday, Karonga District had cumulatively registered 931 cholera cases  and 25 deaths.