When Cyclone Chido swept across Kasungu in December 2024, it left more than twisted iron sheets and shattered roofs in its wake. At Kasungu Secondary School, one of Malawi’s oldest public boarding institutions, the storm continues to disrupt learning over a year later. The setback persists as contractors in June 2025 removed the wrecked roof from a classroom block scheduled for renovation.
The slow rehabilitation has left the block unusable, forcing students to overcrowd smaller rooms, with 90 students crammed in a room meant for 40. Teachers and learners say although the cyclone only damaged part of the roof, contractors removed even sections that were still intact. The affected classes shifted to the library and computer laboratory facilities designed for small groups.
On hot afternoons, the air reeks of sweat, voices compete for attention and the movement of teachers and learners is restricted as two congested classes learn side by side, sharing desks and limited space. The school has merged two streams of learners, straining both teaching and learning materials, limiting student participation and reducing individual attention. “Our learning has suffered heavily,” says head prefect Timothy Banda.
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“There’s no breathing space. Even group discussions are impossible.” Confusion deepened when contractors began digging up classroom floors, leaving the roof unrepaired. According to engineer Oliver Nyirenda, the contractor cleared the floors on instructions from hiring authorities while the ripped roof was infested with termites.
The K280 million project was scheduled to run from June to September 2025, but work stalled due to non-payment. Nyirenda told The Nation that he used personal funds to get the renovation underway, but did not get reimbursement from the Ministry of Education despite repeated attempts to secure payment. The contractor received part payment after seeking legal interventions, he said.
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