Matipula Secondary, along with five other schools in Lusaka Province have received brand new, fully furnished classroom blocks from Let’s Build Foundation, officially handed over to government in a colourful ceremony attended by education officials, pupils, and community members.
For years, education at Matipula Secondary School in Chongwe meant squeezing over 120 pupils into a single classroom or worse, learning under a tree, rain or shine.
Teachers juggled overcrowded lessons with no offices to prepare in, while the school is still operating without even a proper administration block.
The development was a breath of fresh air for more than 2,000 pupils and 40-plus teachers of Matipula, who have long endured makeshift classrooms and chaotic learning conditions, as they have received their own share of two out of the ten classroom blocks handed over today.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education Douglas Syakalima, Permanent Secretary for Technical Services Kelvin Mambwe said the new infrastructure was more than just brick and cement, it was a gateway to opportunity for hundreds of learners.
“These are not just empty spaces, but fully equipped learning environments ready to support both teaching and learning,” said Mambwe.
Let’s Build Foundation has invested K18 million into the construction of 24 fully furnished classrooms across six secondary schools in Lusaka Province, bringing much-needed relief to overcrowded learning spaces.
Speaking at the same event, the organisation’s Country Director Ngosa Zulu said the project was completed within just four months under the first phase of their education support initiative of which the beneficiary schools include Silverrest, Mutipula, Chinculi, Ellensdale, Lilanda, and Chawama.
“Each classroom that we have constructed is coming fully fledged with desks for the learners as well as furniture for the staff in the departmental offices,” she said.
Barely a year since its launch, the organisation has partnered with the Ministry of Education under a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at making the dream of ‘a classroom for everyone’ a reality.
By George Musonda
Kalemba April 25, 2025
