20 schools in Mambwe District of Eastern Province are scheduled to benefit from 600 desks procured under the constituency development fund (CDF).

Mambwe District Education Board Secretary, Levy Matongo, said the procurement and distribution of the desks to schools in the district was to ensure that pupils learn in a conducive environment that motivates them.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Matongo said this when he toured the workshops where desks were being fabricated.

Mr. Matongo said that the distribution of desks in schools will also improve learner attendance as pupils will no longer be sitting on the floor, a sight which was demotivating.

He added that learner performance was also likely to improve due to improved learner school attendance.

Mr. Matongo also observed that CDF was a transformative initiative designed to change people’s standard of living.

“Schools are now comfortable and conducive for learning and this is in line with the eighth national development plan which focuses on pupil achievement, a well capacity built teaching workforce and good infrastructure development,” he said.

And Mambwe District Council Director of works, Niza Ndawa, was impressed with the quality of the desks being manufactured in the district.

Mr. Ndawa said that the hardwood used in the fabrication of the desks was of good quality and durable enough to stand the test of time.

He added that local contractors were engaged to fabricate the desks as per the presidential directive of empowering the local people.

Meanwhile, Mambwe Council Procurement Officer, Sesno Chilomo, said procurement of desks was still ongoing.

Mr. Chilomo said the local authority was following the schedule to see to it that all schools had desks through the 2024-2025 funding under CDF.

And Mnkhanya Ward Councilor, Fackson Sakala expressed gratitude to the government for the CDF initiative.

Mr. Sakala said children were sitting on the floor during lessons adding that with the procurement of the desks, that would now be a story of the past.