One of the Trustees for Press Trust, Audrey Mwala, has urged the government to invest heavily in innovations, science, and technology if Malawi is to achieve higher and competitive education standards starting from the grassroots.

Mwala made the remarks on Friday in Kasungu during the handover ceremony of a K350 million project comprising two fully furnished classroom blocks and a reticulated solar-powered water supply system at Chamakala Community Day Secondary School.

She said that as the world rapidly transitions to digital learning, Malawi must prioritise technological advancement within the education sector.

“Of course, as a country we are progressing in education, but we are still lagging behind in technological infrastructure and equipment such as computer laboratories. We urgently need to address this,” said Mwala.

She further revealed that Press Trust is preparing to roll out additional multi-million-kwacha innovative projects in schools as part of its commitment to complement government efforts in improving education standards, particularly in technology.

Receiving the support, Central East Education Division (CEED) Manager, Dickies Mbewa, said the division continues to face significant shortages of learning materials in science and technology-related subjects, one of the major obstacles affecting educational outcomes in the zone.

Mbewa commended Press Trust for the donation, saying Chamakala CDSS has for years struggled with limited classroom space and inadequate access to clean and safe water. He described the project as a major step towards improving learning conditions and promoting quality education.

“I must also seriously warn students against vandalising school infrastructure within this division. Authorities will not tolerate such behaviour, as it continues to undermine educational progress in this country,” he hinted.

Mbewa further appealed to various stakeholders to support the education sector, saying that many schools still lack adequate classroom space, desks, and essential sanitation facilities, including access to clean water.

The two newly constructed blocks at Chamakala CDSS each contain two classrooms, fully furnished with 30 desks per class. The donation brings the total number of school blocks to four as it had only two previously.

Press Trust has over the years remained a strong partner in supporting government development initiatives, and according to its records, the institution has contributed K20 billion to Malawi’s education sector to date.