On 22nd February, 2017, Her Excellency Kae Yanagisawa, Ambassador of Japan to Malawi signed and exchanged a contract with Mr. Boniface Banda, Acting Diocesan Secretary for Catholic Development Committee of Malawi Diocese of Lilongwe (CADECOM). The contract signifies a grant amounting to US$98,642 from the Government of Japan to the Republic of Malawi under the Japanese Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects, extended to the Project for Improvement of Educational Environment at Gogo Full Primary School in Dowa District. The ceremony was held at the Embassy of Japan and was graced by Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Fabiano, Minister of Education, Science and Technology.
Education is fundamental human rights for all. It is integral to the growth of human beings and development of a country. Education is one of key development agendas in the international community with a global consensus for ‘Education for All’, both girls and boy. It is one of the targets under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, Goal No.4; “Ensure that all girls and boys have access to equitable and quality education for primary and secondary levels and complete it.”
Here in Malawi, there are still various challenges in the field of primary and secondary education, including that many children are still deprived of access to decent school facilities. In addition, even though children are enrolled in standard 1, many of them, especially girls, cannot reach standard 8 and complete primary education. In the meantime, education facilities are still inadequate leading to many primary school students having their classes under a tree; likewise, toilet facilities in most primary schools are usually in an indecent condition, which discourages especially girls to go to school. This is the case in Gogo Full Primary School so that the Government of Japan has decided to assist CADECOM in constructing two classroom blocks and four toilet blocks and procuring school furniture at the school.
Speaking during the ceremony, Ambassador Yanagisawa revealed that, in line with “Education for All”, here in Malawi, the Government of Japan and JICA have been engaged in continuous support for education, both in primary and secondary levels through grant assistance and technical cooperation. Then, she hoped that, through the success of this project, both girls and boys at the school will be able to study in an improved learning environment which will also assist the teachers in providing quality education. In closing, the Ambassador called for CADECOM to ensure a timely and appropriate implementation of the project and close cooperation with the school and the community for the sake of its success.
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