Sat, 26 Aug 2017 11:04:02 +0000
By Rogers Kalero
FIRST Lady Esther Lungu has donated K50,000 and pledged building materials towards the construction of a school workshop for practical subjects at the Catholic-owned St John’s Convent School in Kitwe.
Ms Lungu said the idea to come up with the project was a positive one because developing industries would benefit from the shaping of pupils at an early age.
The First Lady was speaking yesterday at St John’s Convent School in a speech read for her by Kwacha Member of Parliament Joe Malanji during the Open Day for Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) fundraising event.
Ms Lungu said Government, in its quest to develop the nation, has put in place an educational policy that would enable pupils spend 60 percent of their learning time at school on practical subjects referred to as career paths.
“Some of these subjects are metal work, wood work, and agriculture science among others. The idea is to have a pupil graduate not only in theory, but also in these different like skills at different stages of examination,
“You will all agree with me that this approach by the government will stir development in our nation because pupils will not only be self-reliant once they leave school, but will also create efficiency in terms of training at tertiary level as the new.
Meanwhile, Mr Malanji also pledged K10,000 towards the project and urged parents to support the project. He was however disappointed at the poor turnout by the parents who were expected to support the fund-raising event.
Mr Mulanje said the school has more than 1,000 pupils and so he was expecting more than 500 parents to turn out for the programme aimed at raising funds for the construction of the workshop.
Meanwhile St John’s Convent School Principal Odette Mwewa said the school will remain relevant to the society even as it interpret the school motto of “Educational Excellence and Human Integrity.
