Building Chinthowa School

After two years of concentrated fund raising in June 2009 we were able to embark on the First Phase of building a school for Chinthowa village and the surrounding villages. It was necessary to teach the men the skills that were needed for the project, setting out, laying foundations, bricklaying, putting in doors and windows and putting on the roof. These skill were taught by building a small house, ‘an apprentice piece’ in the village that later could be used for visitors from the UK or council meetings.

The First Phase was opened in September 2012 for Standards 1 to 4. On registration day it was found that the school was going to be over subscribed. 370 children registered for Standard 1. We had to divide the Standards into 2 classes. The Second Phase was opened in 2014 for Standard 4 to 7. There are over 1200 children now being educated in Chinthowa School.

At the same time as building the school classrooms, staff room and Head Teacher’s office, we had to construct eight teachers’ houses. These were very good houses consisting of two large bedrooms, a large sitting room and separate from the main building, a toilet area, an area for cooking, a storeroom and a place to wash.

There are no chairs or desks mainly because of the large numbers in each Standard. We do hope in time to provide desks for all the classes in the school.