Classes Suspended After Cyclone Freddy Hits Malawi

By Joseph Dumbula Lessons in schools in ten districts in the Southern region have been suspended following an impactful Cyclone Freddy which has hit Malawi from Friday. Heavy rains pounding southern Malawi have washed away roads and disrupted power generation, with more rainfall expected in the next few days. The suspension will run from Monday, 13th March to Tuesday 14th March in Nsanje, Blantyre, Chiradzulu, Chikwawa, Mulanje, Phalombe, Thyolo, Mwanza, Neno and Zomba. According to a statement released by the Secretary of Education Chikondano Mussa, the ministry has suspended all physical classes as a temporary measure to safeguard the lives of the learners. “Therefore, as a precautionary measure, the Ministry of Education is temporarily suspending physical classes in all learning institutions in the aforementioned districts on Monday, 13th March and Tuesday, 14th March, 2023. Further to that, learners in boarding schools are advised to stay indoors, as a measure of safety in order to preserve life,” said Mussa. According to Mussa, during the suspension of classes, teachers and learners are encouraged to use available online platforms and radio lessons. In particular, when physical classes resume on Wednesday, 15^th March, 2023, teachers are urged to provide remedial lessons to recover the lost time. Neighboring Mozambique has received more than a year's worth of rainfall in the past four weeks as Cyclone Freddy made landfall on Sunday for the second time in a month. The death toll in Mozambique is at least 28 since the storm first made landfall.