Mlambe Health and Social Trust has officially handed over a newly constructed Chaoloka Primary School to Group Village Head Saidi, under Traditional Authority Kumtumanje in Zomba, in a bid to improve access to education and curb school dropout rates among children in the area.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Zomba District Council Director of Public Works Henry Mwamvani said the school addresses a long-standing educational gap as learners in the surrounding villages previously walked up to five kilometres to reach the nearest school.
“This new facility will ease the burden on young learners who had to travel long distances. The initiative is a welcome addition to the nursery school already built by Mlambe Trust, allowing children to progress within their own community,” Mwamvani said.
In addition to classroom blocks, the Trust also constructed eight teachers houses, an administration block and a library at the school.
Traditional Authority Kumtumanje described the school as a timely and much-needed development that would significantly reduce dropouts, particularly among girls, who were often at risk of early pregnancies and child marriages due to limited access to education.
“We are thankful for this support. Many children, especially girls, faced challenges due to the distance. This school will make a real difference in their lives,” said Kumtumanje.
Mlambe Trust Executive Director, Zahra Ismail, said the decision to build the school followed growing concerns over increasing cases of teenage pregnancies and early marriages in the area.
“Many girls stayed idle at home because of the absence of nearby schools, which contributed to the rise in early pregnancies. We saw the need and decided to act,” she explained.
A local resident, Connex Kumukumu, praised the Trust for the development, saying the community would benefit greatly from the new learning environment.
Located in Nsondole Education Zone, Chaoloka Primary School is expected to start operations when the new school year begins on September 22.
