Edukans Foundation Malawi has announced plans to connect 10 primary schools in Lilongwe Rural West to solar power to enhance their performance.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting in Dowa yesterday, Lilongwe District Edukans team leader Thomas Kanjodo said the Harnessing the Sun for Improved Learning Outcomes and Sustainable Development project also seeks to improve opportunities for children through mentorship programmes for pupils and teachers.
He said Portuguese company Energias De Portuguesa will fund the initiative which will address the challenge of power outages that affect learners who take make-up classes at night.
Said Kanjodo: “Many schools in Malawi struggle with electricity challenges, affecting both students and teachers. By harnessing solar energy, we aim to provide a reliable power source that will extend study hours and improve lesson delivery.
“As we know, lack of electricity in primary schools negatively affects learning outcomes and the pass rate, especially for earners in Standard Eight.”
He said Edukans believes incorporating renewable energy and promoting environmental awareness into schools will encourage a sense of responsibility for sustainable development.
“We have chosen solar energy because it is a renewable and environmentally-friendly power source. Through this initiative, we also want to educate teachers and students about climate change and the role they can play in protecting the environment,” said Kanjodo.
Ministry of Education director of open distance learning Joshua Valeta hailed Edukans for the project.
He said: “Electricity powers everything and in its absence, education suffers. Learners are unable to study at night, conduct experiments or even access printed learning materials because schools cannot print without power.
“We expect this initiative to create a better learning environment for learners and teachers. With stable electricity, we anticipate improved academic results and overall school development.”
Source: The nation-Wantwa Mwamlima-staff reporter-4 February