Communities surrounding Malembo Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) at Kasilika Village, Traditional Authority Khongoni in Lilongwe District have lamented lack of female teachers at the school that it is constraining efforts of educating female students.

The community members relayed the concern during a visit by Human Power Organisation which has volunteered to rescue two Form One needy students with bursary and learning materials.

According to the school`s headteacher Chancy Kachonde, the absence of the female teachers has resulted in demotivation of girls at the school as they have no role models to look at in the course of continuing with their studies.

“This is negatively affecting our learners most especially girls as they don’t see the reason why they should become educated since they have never seen a female teacher teaching them in class.

So is the wish of the community that at least a female teacher has to come so that female students can have a role model and they can also be influenced further to learn as they will have direct contact with their counterpart,” pleaded Kachonde.

Responding to the plea, Central West Education Division Manager Joseph Nkhata said the concern is valid and that authorities will address it by deploying the much-needed female teachers at the School.

“It’s a very important request indeed to us, we are going to look into that, we are going to send them a female teacher a female teacher is important at a school like this one where we have boys and girls,” said Nkhata.

Meanwhile, President for Human Power Organisation Vincent Gondwe has pleaded for more support towards addressing challenges that needy students face during their studies.

“We planned that we should reach out to many students as we can so that they should enhance and grow in their living life so that they can also help other people the way we have helped them.

“So, it’s our plea to all other organisations that they may come in and help us with different materials like school uniforms, writing materials even school fees so that we reach out to more needy students out there,” said Gondwe.

Human Power Organisation was established in 2020, and it has so far reached out to needy students at three primary schools in Dowa District including Malembo CDSS which is the fourth one and the first secondary school.