Dowa South East legislator Halima Daudi has called on communities in Dowa to treat education as a gateway to a bright future for their children.

She made the appeal on Sunday when she handed over a new classroom block at Kafumphe Primary School in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mkukula, constructed by Dowa District Council under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery. The structure will be used as a community day secondary school (CDSS)

Daudi (R) and other officials in the classroom

Daudi, who is Deputy Minister of Health, said the new CDSS is expected to increase chances and numbers of learners from surrounding areas selected to secondary schools.

“This should be a motivation for children, especially girls to remain in school and for parents to make sure this happens. The importance of education cannot be overemphasised. It is one of the effective building blocks for both personal and national development,” she said.

Daudi said learners who dropped out of school because of long distances  have a chance to re-enrol because there is now a secondary school within their vicinity.

“At a young age, you should not be in marriage, but in school. That is why we are strengthening all these efforts. I urge all parents, guardians, community and faith-based leaders to help our children make the decision to go back to school,” she said.

Dowa chief education officer Batson Kangulu said the new CDSS will reduce the distance to access secondary schools as some learners from the area travel between seven to 15 kilometres to reach a secondary school.

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