By Vincent Gunde
Mponela LEA School, one of the heavy schools in Dowa district is sailing through pathetic situations, there are limited classrooms, one class is acomodating between 150 to 180 learners defeating the whole purpose of quality teaching and learning.
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A visit to the school by journalists in a media tour organized by the Malawi Human Rights Resource Center (MHRRC) with support from NCA DCA Joint Country Programme – Malawi revealed that the school has only two functional toilets, no pit latrine for disposal of solid wastes, the headteacher operating outside the school and the houses meant for teachers are not of the 21st Century.
Beside the school being at the hub of Mponela trading centre turn town, teachers there are living in houses that do not have electricity and piped water.
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Chairperson for human rights and governance Technical Working Group for the Dowa District Council George Kaunda, said the school has over 3,000 learners from standard one to eight saying the findings by journalists will help to advocate with the council, Civil Society Organizations and Developmental partners to consider supporting the school for teaching and learning to be effective in the mind of both teachers and learners at the school.
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Kaunda said it is a requirement that the Council be accountable to the citizens saying decentralization demands the council or government to respond to issues the communities are raising expressing optimistic that the Council or government will respond favorably to the citizens concerns.
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” We are expecting the council to respond to issues of Mponela LEA School and will provide the way forward,” he said.
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When contacted, Dowa District Council’s Public Relations Officer Sylvester Kumwenda, said adequate infrastructure including classrooms, water supply and sanitation promote quality education saying the Council will continue to prioritize on these Developmental needs in all schools across the district.
Kumwenda said Mponela LEA School is among the schools prioritized to benefit from Constituency Development Fund ( CDF) of the 2026/ 2027 financial year.
” We are assuring learners, parents, teachers, the community and all stakeholders that the Council is committed to supporting improvement at Mponela LEA School,” he said.
The Malawi Human Rights Resource Center (MHRRC) is implementing ” Enhancing Citizen Participation in Local Governance and Development Processes in the three districts of Dowa, Ntchisi and Nsanje.
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The media tour was organized by the MHRRC for journalists to help influence local decision – makers, raise awareness, and mobilize community support by highlighting specific needs through various media outlets.
