The World Bank has approved a K68 billion financing agreement to assist in improving access and quality of education in the country`s secondary schools.

The Project, which is set to start in September this year, is expected to benefit five hundred thousand learners as well as three thousand teachers mainly in science subjects.

World Bank Country Manager Greg Toulmin has told YFM Online in an interview that he believes the concessionary loan will assist learners to improve social economic status of most people through attainment of education.

“Improving access and quality to secondary education is essential if Malawians are going to be able to ensure they can play their part in the modern world, increasingly what you see is a world in which you need people to have strong skills and to be well educated in order to realise the potential benefits of modern world,” said Toulmin.

Meanwhile, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Joseph Mwanamvekha said the project will target Community Day Secondary Schools mainly in rural settings.

“We want to have issues like books, laboratories, and libraries, they are the things that will improve the quality of education in secondary schools, and this project is mainly targeting Community Day Secondary Schools, mainly in rural areas,” he said.

According to the Finance Minister, the project is scheduled to target 13 districts in the country and the basis of selecting the districts was based on the composite index that was done by the Education Ministry in accordance with Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) pass rate.

Mwanamvekha has however warned that the long arm of the law will be upon to those individuals who found indulging in corrupt practices and maladministration.