Masasa CDSS

Masasa CDSS (Community Day Secondary School) is located in a village called Masasa, about 45 minutes walk, South-West, from the centre of Mzuzu.

Children in Malawi have access to free Primary Education from the age of 6, but many start later if the walk to school is too far, or not at all if they have no proper clothes or no school within reach. They must pass exams at the end of each year to go on to the next Standard, up to Standard 8, so it takes 8+ years before they take the Primary School Leaving Certificate. This exam is used to select the best 20% to go on to the Government Secondary schools.

The Day Secondary Schools cost around £7 per term, and boarding schools from £20 to £70 for the very best ones. There are now many Private Schools for those not selected, but these cost considerably more.

Secondary Schools cover the four years of Education from age 13. Students pass through four years or Forms. Form One and Two lead to a Junior Certificate Examination (JCE). Form Three and Four lead to a Malawi School Certificate Examination (MSCE).

In order for students to move up the forms, they must complete each year and pass the required exams. Students that do not attend School, because they are working in their gardens (growing crops for their family), or because they cannot afford the School Fees, will join other students who have completed the same number of years of education that they have, for example, in January 2008, Form One at Masasa CDSS contained students aging from 13 to 18 years old.

Class sizes are generally large - around 50 students in each class. Resources are minimal - students must pay for their own stationary and paper/exercise books. At Masasa CDSS, in August 2008, they only use one set of Text books for Chichewa Literature lessons. Mostly, the School has one copy of a textbook, that is used by the teacher. Diagrams a drawn on the chalkboard and pupils copy.

Learning is often by rote - the teacher makes a statement, the statement is then repeated, but missing a key word and the Students chant the missing word. For Example, the teacher might say 'Food is broken down by acid in the stomach', then will repeat 'Food is broken down by acid in the .. what?' and the students with chant 'Stomach'.

Mops and brushes drying in the Sun

Form One (Jan 2008) - contained Students aged 12-17
(one will be 21 years old when they leave)

Masasa is a small community about 45 minutes walk from the centre of Mzuzu, in Northern Malawi. The School has 9 teachers and up to 200 students taught in four Forms.

Mzuzu is the last main town, situated on the M1 - the main road that runs the length of Malawi - when traveling North. It is about 400km north of Lilongwe, Malawi's Capital, and has a population of about 12,000 people.

The students that attend are mainly from the Masasa area. The main concentration of homes is just to the north of the School, and to the East across a deep valley.

Students and teachers mostly walk to school. A few arrive on bikes. School starts at 7am.

The recently built Science block, contains two Science labs and two prep/storage rooms. This building was paid for by The Hunter Trust.

In Oct 2009, the School is getting near to teaching Practical Science lessons in the labs, with benches, sinks and storage nearing completion.

Masasa CDSS was originally located about 20 minutes walk east, across the valley, at a Primary School. Lessons were in the afternoon, after the Primary school pupils had finished.

The first building (the nearest of the two buildings on the right) contained two classrooms. With the assistance of The Hunter Trust, the second building was constructed, providing two further classroom, along with a staffroom (for the teachers to prepare lessons and mark work) and an Office for the Head teacher - Bettie Zolowere (Appointed Jan 2007).

In May 2007, the School had no electricity and had just a water tap fitted - on the bank in front of the far building.

Timetable

Pupils arrive at 7am and must tidy the school - sweeping up leaves around the School site and mopping out the classrooms.

The mud around the School sticks to the shoes when wet and muddy footprints cover the concrete floors in the classrooms.

7.15 to 7.30am is registration. Each Monday, there is a whole school assembly, where information is given, reminders about standards of uniform and workrate. Prizes, usually of stationary, are awarded to the students.

7.30 to 10.50am there are 5 forty minute lessons. The teachers of each lesson go the the classroom, the pupils stay where they are.

The pupils have a 15 minute break at 10.50am.

11.05am to 1.45pm there are a further 4 lessons. School ends at 1.45pm. Students are able to go home.

In the afternoon, there are sometimes sports matches with other Schools. The School is providing a range of Clubs for Students to attend, if they wish.