Poor structure affects learning at Chilipa School

There are fears that some pupils at Chilipa Full Primary School in Machinga could soon be forced out of school following government failure to repair the roof of a six-classroom block.

Chilipa Zone primary education adviser (PEA) Dunstan Banda said on Saturday that a storm blew off the roof of the block in December 2013, a development that rendered about 900 pupils destitute.

This notwithstanding, the school has registered a 100 percent pass and selection rates in the Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examinations.

Banda told Weekend Nation that there are plans to renovate the block anytime soon.

“You may wish to know that this predicament came a few months after another renovation early 2013. Of course, I reported the matter to the DEM [district education manager] who told me it is not practical to get another funding now because it is not long ago when we had another renovation of the block,” he explained.

The PEA said his office is now banking hopes on member of Parliament (MP) for the area Justin Majawa who has shown willingness to resolve the problem.

Majawa, who has installed solar electricity in all the 42 primary schools in his constituency, could not commit himself to the possibilities of renovating the block before the onset of the rains.

“But I will definitely look into this a matter of urgency because I am very concerned that this [problem] could adversely affect the learning and teaching at this school, especially as we approach rainy season,” he said.

Chilipa School has 16 streams, with only three taking their lessons in the comfort of a classroom while the rest are learning under trees.