Standard 8 learners at Chisi Primary School, located on Chisi Island, Lake Chilwa will finally write their national examinations on desks following a donation of 20 double seater desks from Team Adventure with support from Plan International – Malawi on Sunday.
The school had no single desk and learners sat on the floor. The 38 Primary School Leaving Certificate Examination candidates could not believe the last minute rescue and waited patiently at the dock for the historical donation at the school.
Speaking after handing over the desks to the school, Mulanje Programme Area Manager for Plan International Daniel Kapatuka said his organization believes that the desks will act as a motivation for learners in the lower classes to work hard.
“This donation will make a huge impact here at Chisi Island as learners, especially girls in the lower classes will work hard in order to for them to have that chance of sitting on a desk.
“As Plan Malawi, our goal is advance children’s rights especially the girl child so when Team Adventure approached us, we were compelled to do a corporate social responsibility here on Chisi which is a hard to reach area. Plan believes that the donation will improve the education standards of girls here at Chisi Primary School because they have problems to stand up when they are sitting on the floor,” said Kapatuka.
National Chairperson for Team Adventure, Kondwani Chamwala said that only motivated learners are able to work hard hence the need for the desks.
“Team Adventure focuses on promoting tourism, culture and natural resources in Malawi and we believe those who have gone to school can successfully appreciate these aspects. After our first visit here, we realized that there are learners who cannot be motivated to go further with their education because they don’t have desks. We therefore started knocking on doors of various corporate members and Plan International responded positively.”
Chamwala has since hailed Plan Malawi for responding positively to Team Adventure’s request.
“We believe that this is the starting point of a great relationship between Team Adventure and Plan International- Malawi. We are very grateful that they trusted and helped us when we knocked on their door. We should also take this opportunity to ask other organizations to come in and support our initiatives to support making Malawi a better nation,” he said.
In his remarks, Area Development Committee Chairperson at Chisi Island, John Majawa expressed gratitude after receiving the donation saying that this is a rescue to the learners.
“We had no single desk here and learners use bricks as chairs. The coming in of the desks will also help our girls at this school because they struggle to sit on the floor as compared to boys so this will reduce school dropout at Chisi Primary School. Just a request to other organisations to come in and continue from where Plan International through Team Adventure has done because we also have other 7 classes that need desks,” said Majawa.
Apart from the desks, Team Adventure also donated 20 plastic chairs for the staffroom at the school and nursery school learning materials for Chisi Nursery School.
Standard 8 learners in the country are expected to sit for the Primary School Leaving Certificate Examinations from 8 to 10 May 2019.
May God bless the donator of STD 8 pupils ,s school desks. This is the kind of development that Malawians need. Action must speak louder than words. This person deserves Malawians votes. For faith without action is dead,so do love without action is dead as well. Congratulations!!!! Be more blessed.