BY JORDAN SIMEON-PHIRI
Community around Tendi Local Education Authority (LEA) school in Senior Chief Mwakaboko in Karonga district have asked authorities to consider developing the school to match the required education standards.
In an interview, Tendi LEA School Committee Management (SCM) chairperson Thomas Mwakighali said the school was constructed in 2014 by the community but the school does not have enough blocks, desks, teachers’ houses and teachers for the 626 learners.
He said: “The school was constructed by the community way back. However, government has not given us the much needed support in terms of desks, decent accommodation for teachers and schools blocks despite commitment from the community to mobilise the 25 percent contribution for building materials”.
In a separate interview, Mwakaboko Area Development Committee (ADC) chairperson Edward Chitete said the community are well prepared to contribute bricks and sand for the construction of teachers houses and additional schools blocks at the facility.
However, Karonga district director of education, youths and sports Sara Khozi-Jere said government is aware of shortage of teachers in the district and as an office, she is banking her hopes on the yet to be recruited auxiliary teachers who will beef up the dire shortage of teachers in the district.
“Government is committed to improving the standards of education in the district. While government is doing its part, let the community do its part like other places that have built beautiful teachers’ houses and school blocks with grants that they receive,”.
Karonga Diocese Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) project officer Obert Mkandawire whose office is implementing the Dan Church Aid and Norwegian Church Aid Enhancing Social Accountability in Local Governance to Reduce Inequalities for an Inclusive Malawi funded Project in the district said there’s need for relevant authorities to balance the equation.
He said: “While the community is doing its part, government should try as much as possible to do its part to make sure that all schools are getting equal treatment regardless of geographical location to make sure that education system is up to standards”.
