Four learners died yesterday at Natchengwa Primary School in Zomba after a part of their classroom block fell on them.
Sixteen other students were heavily injured due to the accident and were taken to Zomba Hospital while 38 others also sustained injuries but were treated as outpatients at health centres in the district.
Authorities however expect the number of affected students to rise.
According to Zomba District Disaster Officer Florence Harawa, the incident happened at around 7am on Wednesday.
She said the wall of the classroom block fell due to strong winds. Harawa admitted that the classroom block was not fit for learning.
The classroom block was built through community contribution and school improvement funding. It was built in June 2017 and students started using it in September 2017. The classes were to run outside the classroom hence the incident, said Harawa.
The school which is in Zomba Thondwe constituency in the area of Traditional Authority Ngwelero has 930 pupils.
According to Harawa, funeral arrangements for the dead students will be made by the Ministry of Education.
