Students in 33 secondary schools under the South West Education Division (SWED) are expected to benefit from improved access to digital learning, faster research opportunities, and better examination preparation following a donation of 114 desktop computers from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland.
The donation, which also includes printers, a braille machine, and microphones, is expected to strengthen teaching and learning in secondary schools in the division that previously had little or no access to computers.
Speaking during the start of the distribution exercise at SWED headquarters in Blantyre, SWED manager Feggie Mphasi-Mwale said the computers will help schools improve record management, reduce operational costs, and enhance the quality and relevance of education.
“Digitalization is one aspect that is being looked at in Malawi while looking at the digital world. So by having a computer at each school, it means that schools are going to maintain their records, should they want to type examinations, they don’t have to go to bureaus to get the exams typed,” she said.
According to Mphasi-Mwale, the donation is also expected to improve practical ICT learning by increasing the number of computers available to learners, easing challenges where large groups of students share only a few machines during lessons and examinations.
“For schools already offering ICT, the increase in the number of computers is going to improve output even during exams and lesson times,” he said, adding that the donation will help improve the overall quality of education.
Mphasi-Mwale further said the initiative complements government efforts under free secondary education by addressing quality and relevance in learning, while also helping bridge technological gaps among schools.
She also commended the Ministry of Education for facilitating duty-free clearance of the donated items through collaboration between education authorities and Treasury officials.
Deputy head teacher for Army Secondary School, Louis Mloza Banda, welcomed the donation, saying the computers will expand students’ access to technology and support learning and research.
Banda said some schools had no computers at all, taking a major step toward closing the digital divide, while schools with existing equipment will benefit from increased access through additional machines.
