Written by Moses Kamanga,Karonga Diocese Deputy Communications Secretary
His Lordship Bishop Martin Mtumbuka of Karonga Diocese last Saturday made a noble stride in an effort to fulfill the Diocese’s motto that states “WE SHALL GO TO THEM” by among others inaugurating the construction of a Girls Secondary School which upon completion shall be named St. Mary’s Karonga Girls Boarding Secondary School.
Speaking at a ground breaking ceremony which was graced by a number of people including Paramount Chief Kyungu, representatives from the Karonga District Commissioner’s Office, Education Division Manager’s Office and the Peoples Party Second Deputy Secretary General, Frank Mwenefumbo,His Lordship Bishop Mtumbuka commended Paramount Chief Kyungu for showing his commitment in promoting education as he offered free land for the project to take place.
Bishop Mtumbuka also commended the donors who are supporting a number of development projects in the new diocese of Karonga.
The Karonga Diocese head who has an academician background and once worked as the Vice Chancellor for Malawi Catholic University said the church has a crucial role in assisting government by providing quality education to the country’s citizens hence the construction of a Girls Secondary School.
Bishop Mtumbuka and Paramount Chief Kyungu helping each other during the ground breaking ceremony
For his part, Paramount Chief Kyungu of Karonga commended the Catholic Church in Malawi and Karonga Diocese in particular for striving to promote education in the country.
He then challenged other churches in the country to emulate the good example displayed by the Catholic Church.
“There are many Churches mushrooming nowadays, building big prayer houses, but never do they think of uplifting their followers’ educational status by constructing a school. Its therefore high time that we learned from the Catholic Church by also constructing schools,” said Paramount Chief Kyungu.
Meanwhile,the National Educational Programme Coordinator at the Episcopal Conference of Malawi,Steven Ndhlovu has commended Karonga Diocese for coming up with the initiative.
Ndhlovu said the developments will, in essence, contributes to attainment of some of the Millennium Development Goals: girl/women empowerment and poverty reduction.
He said the construction of the Girls Secondary School will complement the popular adage which says when you educate a girl, you educate a nation.
Once completed, St. Mary’s – Karonga Girls Secondary School will enroll 600 students.
The school will join the existing Catholic Girls Secondary Schhols in the country which includes, Mary Mount in Mzuzu,Ludzi in Mchinji and St Mary’s in Zomba.
According to Bishop Mtumbuka, the school will be a grant aided one which means it will be run by the Government with a certain percentage on enrollment from the Catholic Church.
Apart from St Mary’s Karonga Girls Boarding Schools’ project, the Diocese intends to construct St Mauritius Co-education Secondary School at Lura in Rumphi, St. Monica Community Day Secondary School at Wiliro and St. Ignatius Boys Secondary School at Nthalire in Chitipa.
All these projects will be funded by the German Government and the Irish Embassy.
The Diocese is also constructing Science Laboratories at St Anne’s and Fulirwa Community Day Secondary Schools with funding from Japanese Embassy.
The construction of St Mary’s Karonga Girls Boarding School is being funded by Team Lift from the United States of America.