Kapiri Community Development Organisation has donated 44 desks worth K4.4 million to Kasuza Primary School in Mchinji District.

Speaking during the handover on Wednesday, Kapiri Community Development Organisation director Linda Nkhoma said the school had no desks since it opened in 2009.

Officials and learners display the desk during the handover

She said: “As an organisation that promotes education, we sourced funds from ActionAid Malawi to provide desks to the school.

“We hope the gesture will motivate learners to remain in school.”

Mchinji district education manager Nellie Kamtedza commended the organisations for the initiative.

She appealed to other organisation to work with government to promote education in the district.

“I should seize this opportunity to ask traditional leaders to ensure that no child goes into early marriage,” said Kamtedza.

Kasuza Primary School head teacher Steven Nyirenda said the desks will encourage girls to participate in class.

However, he asked other well-wishers to provide more desks, saying 44 desks were not enough.

Nyirenda also asked duty-bearers to construct more classroom blocks, saying the school has classes up to Standard Six.

He said: “Due to shortage of classroom blocks, we only have classes from Standard One to Standard Six. Standard Seven and Standard Eight pupils have to travel seven kilometres to the nearest school in Kasungu District.

“During the rainy season, they stop attending classes because they cross a river.”

According to a 2022 Ministry of Education Report, 234 647 learners dropped out and some of the contributing factors include shortage of desks in schools.

In July this year, Deputy Minister of Education Monica Chang’anamuno said her ministry needs 2.2 million additional desks.

With support from ActionAid Malawi, the organisation constructed a classroom block at the school.

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