Malawi continues to be challenged by near dysfunctional and often under resourced education facilities. The image one meets at most primary schools is one that casts doubt if the country is to ever move itself from the socio-economic misfortunes that lack of education is attached to. And education is the key to overturning Malawi’s scenario.
The United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goal No. 4 (SDG4) on Quality Education paints it well: ‘to…ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.’
That for now remains a tall order, despite the positive strides here and there, for a poor country like Malawi.
At least for Kabumba Primary School, under Senior Group Village Headman Kaphatika in Ntchisi District, the University of Malawi Social Sciences Class of 1999 (BSOC99) has stepped in to provide the much needed relief.
Thanks to Father Dumisani Nkhoswe who linked up with the grouping through Dr. Chikondi Maleta to forge a unity that has seen a flatteringly furnished and electrified school block raised, and a pre-school structure resourced.
The School has an interesting history, and of course, a trajectory that promises a better future, for generations to come in the area. Malawi stands to benefit even better if others emulate the gesture by the social scientists in the BSOC99 grouping.
Fr. Nkhoswe came to Kaphatika Parish within Malomo, Ntchisi, two years ago, only to be met by a site that was both deplorable as it was concerning.
The school, despite resounding memories of some of Malawi’s great names having attained part of their primary education there, such as Chief Lukwa of Kasungu, and other notables gracing the corridors of influence in both public and private sectors, was a structure of ram shackled grass thatched structures roofed with see-through, grass and stick roofs.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw the structures used as classrooms and staff room. There was literally no protection from both the sun and the rains.
Even the wind. Mere grass thatched suspended rafters over the head. Nothing else.
Learning and teaching was almost impossible.
Such a pathetic picture,” explains Fr. Nkhoswe, who from 1st January this year has seen and witnessed real transformation.
BSOC99, a grouping of 45 graduates from the Chancellor College, have turned the picture into one that promises an atmosphere of quality education. And a promising future for the people in the area.
Handing over the school block before the Catholic Priest, head teacher, school committee and the Parents Teacher Association (PTA) representatives, chairperson for the group, Aubrey Dothi, says this was part of giving back to the community. Part of the selfless spirit that has united the Class over the years and seen it perform with purpose.
“We started off some 20 years ago in 2003 after graduating in 1999. We have supported various initiatives within the country, including the Malingunde School for the Blind, among others. Kabumba is one of our major initiatives as at the same time we also are celebrating 20 years’ post-university, and the New Year, 2024. For us, this bears a great feeling of a complete festive season, where giving is a tradition,” he explained.
Feeling relieved, Fr. Nkhoswe also owes it to the graduates for helping to paint and resource the nursery school at the area.
“I have made it an emphasis to our pupils, parents, and community that there is strength in unity. All these people that have made this possible, are not from this area. They are Malawians who care.
They helped us raise the structure from where we stopped at window level, and have supported us throughout. Today we are proud and happy to also receive the 36 desks. They will go a long way in encouraging the community to send their children to school, and the pupils to work extra hard and succeed in their education.”
The support, to the tune of over K8 million, will also help to inspire the nine teachers at the school, as they had to dismiss classes whenever it rained.
The school only has two teachers’ houses.
Kabumba Primary School, ran by the Catholic Church, was closed years back and had to reopen only when Father Murray of the Pallottines mission first came and built a school block which still stands today.
With the block supported by BSOC99, the school now boasts of two school blocks translating into four classes, for standards one to eight. The school has since introduced school feeding from nursery to standard 8, propping up pupil numbers.
Fr. Nkhoswe had to convince chiefs and parents, who had put up a foundation but ran out of funds to complete the school block, to contribute a 5kg bag of soya for each pupil at the school.
“They were challenged by trust issues when I first sold them the idea in 2022. However, seeing the Parish was to administer the funds, they agreed. Against 400 pupils, we raised around K960,000 in sales and bought cement.
The community provided sand, bricks, and women drew water until window level. BSOC99 finalized the entire structure including provision of the desks. We have since, in the two years, seen some students progress beyond secondary education, beating school dropout rates,” says Fr. Nkhoswe.
The old structures were a problem especially during rains, that left parents and pupils with no choice but drop out and opt for early marriages, farming activities, and piece work at nearby Malomo Trading Centre, Ntchisi boma, and elsewhere in search of life’s needs.
At the meantime, with support of the Pallottines, the Parish is working towards fundraising for boarding facilities so that pupils can concentrate on their education and minimize parental disturbances at home. Currently, pupils are using small teacher rooms at the one end of the school block as dormitories. The two small rooms – split one for boys and the other for girls.
Despite such a gloomy picture, ironically, in May 2014 Ntchisi emerged as one of the best districts having quality education standards. Malawi News Agency (Mana) reported the district had ‘…the highest quality of classroom blocks under the Education Sector Wide Approach Programme (ESWAP) funded by the Local Development Fund (LDF) in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.’ Whilst news is good but can be contested, Kabumba Primary School remains one of the oldest schools in the district which has been ignored for a long time.
Efforts by Fr. Nkhoswe, the chiefs, and the community that have rallied behind to support him, and especially UNIMA’s BSOC99 grouping which have taken the school a bar above, need to be sustained as long term interventions everywhere, as Malawi continues to struggle alongside the international community in meeting the aspirations of the SDG 4.
The UNIMA’s BSOC 99 grouping has members working with both the private and public sector in Malawi and abroad. During the handover, BSOC99 representatives included those working for the World Bank, Banja La Mtsogolo, Press Trust, and at the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) secretariat in Botswana.
