Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Madalitso Kumbauwa Wirima has commended the Malawi Education Reform Programme (Merp) for constructing decent classroom blocks in primary schools in Mzimba District.
She said this on Wednesday when she inspected classroom blocks at Chipata and Embangweni primary schools in Mzimba South constructed under Merp.
Wirima said the additional classroom blocks are helping children to learn in a conducive environment.
She said: “Government through my ministry has been implementing Merp since 2021 to increase learning spaces in primary schools in the country.
“I am impressed with the quality of the infrastructure that I have seen in schools I have inspected in the district. These are the structures we want our learners to learn in.”
Wirima said apart from infrastructure development, the programme has also trained teachers in leadership skills, funded auxiliary teachers in primary schools and offered small incentives to teachers in rural areas.
On her part, M’mbelwa District Council director of education and sports Bridget Nungu said about 172 primary schools are set to benefit from the programme.
She said shortage of classroom blocks is a major problem affecting quality of education in the district.
Said Nungu: “The programme has constructed about 80 classroom blocks in the district and others are still under construction while works in some schools will start soon.
“The new classroom blocks have helped to increase enrolment of learners in schools.”
Group village head Captain Jere of Chipata Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mzikubola said the programme is changing the face of schools in the area.
Government is implementing Merp with support from the World Bank and Global Partnership for Education.
Under the programme, government is building 10 900 classroom blocks and 1 000 sanitation facilities in the country’s 34 education districts.
