Education Minister, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima has told media that schools which were temporarily closed in the Southern region following the Cyclone Freddy that has hit the region will re-open on 27th March 2023, but there will be no change of the school calendar.
Addressing the Press on Thursday, 23rd March, 2023, at the Ministry’s headquarters in the city of Lilongwe, on her Ministry’s response to the after-effects of Cyclone Freddy, Wirima said that her Ministry has observed that some education districts such as Zomba rural, Nsanje, and Chiradzulu have affected schools not exceeding 50% of the total schools’ population, hence a need to open them.
“As of 23rd March, 2023 having determined the accessibility to schools, structural stability of the infrastructure and safety of our learners and teachers, my Ministry has resolved that all schools in the affected districts should open on 27th March, 2023 except for those where the schools are being used as camps for IDPs or are submerged in water and require certification by engineers, and that such schools will remain open until the 21st of July, 2023.
Those who have been in boarding school in the affected districts should close for one week and return to school on 10th April, 2023.” Read part of the statement Wirima made during the briefing.
According to Wirima, some schools under Shire Highlands Education division will open on 27th March but will not close on 31st March such as Phalombe, Chiradzulu, Luchenza, Thyolo, Mulanje, and Chikhwaza, while others are not ready for opening in the division like Gawani CDSS, Chinolampeni CDSS, Likanani CDSS, Mthundu CDSS, Sambanjati CDSS, Minyenje CDSS, as well as Nkhulambe CDSS and Nkhulambe Primary.
Further, Wirima told the media that; “Gawani Secondary School and Kamshika CDSS in Phalombe District are inaccessible from all directions and are also holding centre for IDPs hence will not open as scheduled. Similarly, Makhanga CDSS and Makhanga primary school in Nsanje will not open because they were completely submerged in water.
