Unicef hands over primary school

Unicef has handed over a primary school to communities in Senior Chief Khongoni in Lilongwe District.

The school, which has nine classrooms, a staffroom, head teacher’s office and a storeroom, replaces the old Mpondamwala Primary School whose classroom blocks were destroyed by strong winds in 2018.

The United Nations agency has also rehabilitated a library and constructed two sanitary facilities at the institution.

Speaking on Friday during the handover, Unicef country representative Rudolf Shwenk said they constructed the classroom blocks to enable children to access education.

He said: “We believe that every child has the right to safe space and quality education.

“We appeal to the school management to take care of the facilities.”

On her part, Minister of Education Agnes NyaLonje, who received the facilities on behalf of government, thanked Unicef for complementing government’s efforts in improving education standards in the country.

She said: “Ministry of Education’s duties include expanding access to education, improving quality and making education relevant to Malawians.

“When we say improving quality of education, we mean that there should be space for every child to learn inside a permanent structure.”

In his remarks, Mpondamwala Primary School head teacher Gladson Chipola said pupils were learning in the open

following the destruction of the classroom blocks in 2018.

“Unicef came in 2019 to assess the damage. This is a whole new school and we thank Unicef,” he said.

Lilongwe North West legislator Boti Phiri (Malawi Congress Party) urged the community not to vandalise the school.

The project cost $400 000 (about K328 million)