Ten out of 123 secondary schools under Shire Highlands Education Division (SHED) remain closed due to the devastating effects of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.
This came out at Providence secondary in Mulanje where First Lady Monica Chakwera encouraged students to prioritise education.
Chakwera advised girls whose homes were damaged by floods to, for the time being, forget about the ordeal and focus on their education.
SHED covers four districts, namely Phalombe, Mulanje, Thyolo and Chiradzulu.