Zibankhwe Junior Primary School Needs More Work Before Opening
The newly constructed Zibankhwe Junior Primary School in the area of Senior Chief Mbenje in Nsanje is not yet ready to open, according to local lawmaker Gladys Ganda, writes Cornelius Lupenga.
Nsanje, Malawi — The newly-constructed Zibankhwe Junior Primary School in the area of Senior Chief Mbenje in Nsanje is not yet ready to open, according to local lawmaker Gladys Ganda, writes Cornelius Lupenga.
Ganda said that while a school block has been completed, there are still many things that need to be done, including building teachers' houses, installing solar-powered electricity, and providing desks and tables.
She also said that there is a need to instal a piped water system.
"The area has a low water table, so it has been difficult to sink additional boreholes," Ganda said. "However, we are working on plans to get water from a borehole within the Zibankhwe area."
Village Headman Zibankhwe agrees with Ganda, saying that the area only has one borehole, which is not enough to meet the needs of the community. He said that women in the area are sometimes forced to draw water from a seasonal river, which is not safe to drink.
"The water from the seasonal river is also used by animals," he said.
Ganda said that she is hopeful that the school will be able to open soon, but that it will likely take several more months to complete all of the necessary work.