In a quest to ensure that learners are accessing better education in the country including in the Cyclone Freddy affected districts, Minister of Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima M.P has called upon various stakeholders and partners to consider pumping in more support in the education sector.
Wirima made these remarks at Kalima Primary School in Senior Chief Maseya, Chikwawa during the launch of the ‘Back to School Campaign.’
She said Cyclone Freddy caused huge damage on infrastructure, whereby 72 Classrooms, 87 teachers houses and over 980 WASH facilities were fully destroyed, while 460 classrooms, 423 teachers houses, 542 WASH facilities were partially destroyed, requiring reconstruction and rehabilitation respectively.
“For instance, schools hosted Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as a result, there was too much pressure on the already constrained WASH facilities in schools. Other services that were compromised included, but not least to child protection; and school feeding. These, among others are the barriers that prevent our teachers and learners the right to deliver and receive education in a safe and conducive environment. We therefore need to work together to ensure that all learners are back to school,” she said.
The minister also added that in the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) report of 2023, the total value of the effects (damages and losses) in the education sector is estimated at US$ 42,087,535.26.
“In order to recover from these effects, we need more than US$80,296,573.91. Let me call for unity and solidarity in sharing the cost of recovery. No single entity will be able to meet this need. The Ministry of Education alone cannot manage to recover from the disaster effects,” she emphasized.
She then thanked UNICEF and the Norwegian Government for being a friend indeed, in time of this need and said the education supplies received today will make lives of learners and teachers better.
“This is not the only support that the Ministry has received through UNICEF. The Ministry appreciates a number of interventions in the Education-in-Emergency, such as: Education Cluster technical support; Joint assessment and monitoring visits to cyclone affected schools; District capacity building in Disaster Risk Management, just to mention but few.
“While I am thanking you for the support received, let me also point out that our needs are many. As I already pointed out, the Ministry needs a lot of resources to be able to recover from Tropical Cyclone Freddy scars. I therefore request you to continue walking with us during this recovery period by supporting us with rehabilitation and reconstruction needs for school infrastructures”, she added.
The minister said that, there is need to ensure that reconstruction efforts are better, stronger and smarter, through the use of the Safer Schools Construction Guidelines to prevent impacts of future disasters.
She urged both teachers and learners, as well as all stakeholders to take care of the valuable education supplies received and to utilise them and not keeping them under lock and key.
Norwegian Ambassador to Malawi, Ingrid Mikelsen said her government is committed to supporting the education sector.
“The government of Norway is very ready to continue supporting the people of Malawi through the education sector. This is why we immediately took a step when a call to assist the education sector was made after being hit hard by the devastating Cyclone Freddy,” she said.
UNICEF through Royal Norwegian Embassy has donated 45,000 school bags comprising of 5 notebooks, 2 pens, 2 pencils and a ruler.
UNICEF Malawi Deputy Representative- Programmes, Gerrit Maritz- re-affirmed the institution’s commitment in supporting the Malawi Government in various sectors including the education sector.
Paramount Chief Lundu said the hand over of back to school campaign education supplies is timely and will go a long way towards helping learners affected by Cyclone Freddy.
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