Khwisa alumni spoil old school with donations

Students and teachers at Khwisa Primary School in Balaka were on Wednesday treated to a 1.3 Million Kwacha surprise from the school’s alumni.

The alumni who organized themselves to start assisting their old school in 2016 made a donation of assorted school needs such as teaching and learning materials that they noted to be inadequate at the institution.

According to Chairperson for the grouping Noel Chambo, on top of teaching and learning materials the alumni also donated towards construction of a new classroom block which the community is conducting at the school.

“We provided school uniforms to needy students, exercise books, writing pens, chalk boxes, teacher’s scheme books and registers and class starter packs for 16 learners who have been selected to various secondary school from the school,” detailed Chambo.

While providing the materials, the alumni’s main message was for the communities within the school’s catchment area to take a leading role of supporting it in development, both in infrastructure and academic needs.

Speaking during the event, Primary Education Advisor for Khwisa zone Mrs. Chikosa Mwafulirwa commended the group for dedicating themselves to paying back to the school.

Mwafulirwa said last year’s donations had positively impacted on education at the school as competition among students improved because learners wanted to be spotted for rewards by the alumni.

“Because these alumni awarded some well performing learners last year, the initiative fueled competition among learners; dropouts and class absenteeism have dropped and the teachers at this school are attributing some of the changes to the initiative by our alumni,” said Mwafulirwa.

Linley Kholoma, a 13 year old Standard 6 orphan who received school uniform and learning materials described the assistance as a hand of God as she had been struggling to get learning materials.

Linley hoped that if everyone that went to school cared to assist the school after they started working, needy children such as her would be rest assured to finish their education.