Lozi Secondary form 2 students during computer lessons
Umunthu Plus Organization have made a significant stride in overcoming barriers to digital education and internet access in remote school communities of Nkhotakota District, as they have successfully installed an internet connection at Lozi Community Day Secondary School in Malawi.
Reporting after the completion of the Project, Executive Director for Umunthu Plus, Mavuto Jawado, said that the installation of the internet has increased girls’ interest to learn science subjects. This has raised perceptions towards Computer Studies, as more than 80 girls are now taking this subject in their Malawi School Certificate of Education exams.
“The project targeted 3 Schools: Nkhotakota Secondary, Lozi and Lingazi Community Day Secondary school, directly benefiting 482 male students and 477 female students aged 13-20 years in these schools. The project has also trained 25 Teachers in ICT, equipping Teachers with essential skills to develop their lesson plans while supporting students in navigating digital resources confidently, Teachers have started integrating digital tools into their lesson plans, using videos for subjects like geography and the sciences”, Jawado said.
Additionally, the project has facilitated successful Zoom debate sessions and inter-school quiz competitions and online classes involving over 400 students. This dynamic approach is encouraging competition and collaborative learning among peers, with 54 students participating and gaining recognition for their expertise during the zoom quizzes and competitions.
This project has proved to be beneficial to students with visual impairments, ensuring equitable access to information, as Umunthu Plus distributed four radio devices across schools, facilitating radio classes aimed at inclusive education. To further enhance educational engagement, teachers cover critical revisions over radio during holidays reaching over 1000 learners.
Form 1 student at Lozi Community Day secondary school
Commending the project the beneficiaries highlight the program’s transformative impact. Students have expressed newfound confidence in engaging with technology: “As a girl I have always had doubts about pursuing a career in ICT, I have always thought that it is a boy centered subject, I felt motivated to go forward with my dream as I know that there are girls out there pursuing ICT”, Form1 student. Lozi CDSS Agnes Phiri said.
“The internet is a valley for knowledge and at first with the unavailability of WI-FI we could not explore the valley with the students to search important things for the lessons, but with the Wi-Fi that was given to us it has helped in the lessons, it is fast and reliable and it enables us to use the internet frequently and the students are also feeding their curiosity with information that they find”, Computer studies Teacher at Nkhotakota Secondary School Mr. Gilbert Mwalwanda said.
Umunthu Plus ICT project is fostering an environment of innovation, resilience, and empowerment among students and teachers alike. It represents a sustainable step towards a more inclusive and digitally literate future for the youth of Malawi. Think Malawi thanks Umunthu Plus for implementing a creative project. Think Malawi works by inviting Malawi NGOs to identify and implement projects that remove barriers to education for girls and which raise education levels for all students.
Written by Precious Mtuwa, edited by Lloyd Watts
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