NKHOTAKOTA-(MaraviPost)-The Secretary for Education Associate Prof Mangani Chilala Katundu says Malawi Education Reform Program (MERP) project which is constructing 10, 900 classrooms across Malawi makes headways.
Katundu assured the Parliamentary committee on Government Assurances and Public Sector Reforms that most of the classroom blocks will be ready by the opening of the first term of the 2024/2025 academic calendar in September.
He was speaking after the committee toured some of MERP projects in Mangochi and Nkhotakota.
Katundu said the MoU which was signed between the Ministry and National Construction Industry Council has helped a lot to speed up construction with quality work after training the clerk of works.
MERP is being financed by the Malawi Government, the World Bank, and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).
The committee’ Chairperson, Noel Lipipa who is Blantyre City South Member of Parliament (MP) hailed the communities for actively participating in the construction of the classrooms.
Lipipa therefore urged fellow members to ensure that the facilities are well taken care of once completed and handed over to the community for use.
The committee wanted to ascertain the pace and quality of the services being provided in the quest to improve the education sector in the country.
Among the visited sites were Nakanyanja, Masongola II, and Mangale primary schools in TA Jalasi and TA Chowe respectively.
MP for Nkhota-kota North, Henry Chimunthu Banda who is also a former speaker of Parliament says the construction of 5,450 classroom blocks across the country is a great development saying will increase the learning space for learners which will in turn significantly reduce dropout rate.
Therefore legislators members expressed gratitude for a good speed at which the first phase is going.
