Ilengo primary school wins Maphunziro Mbambande Quiz Competition

By Martha Simchimba

Ilengo Primary school in Chitipa district emerged champions of Maphunziro Mbambande Quiz Competition at district level after defeating seven other schools in the district.

Maphunziro Mbandande Quiz Competition is an initiative by World Vision International and Healthwise Organisation and is being implemented across the country.

Speaking on Thursday after the quiz competition, Primary Education Advisor (PEA) for Ilengo Education Zone in the area of Traditional Authority Kameme, Kesali Msukwa said the Maphunziro Mbambande Quiz Competition initiative has greatly improved literacy levels in primary schools.

Msukwa said the initiative has brought motivation among the learners more especially girls in the zone as everyone would like to participate in the quiz team of their school.

\”I can assure you that there are a number of achievements that this initiative has registered in this zone, for example during the 2023 Malawi National Examination\’s Board results, at Ilengo, Nankhonza and Ibuzya, many learners were selected to various secondary schools, a development that was never there before,” he said.

Msukwa further said in addition to the provision of scholastic materials like school bags and writing materials the quiz initiative has brought, it has also increased leaner’s attendance in schools more especially at Ibuzya and Nahatobo where absenteeism rate was very high.

He then thanked World Vision International and Healthwise for all the support they are rendering to the community and further requested them to continue coming up with new initiatives in order to improve education standards in the country.

In his remarks, Acting Programme\’s Coordinator for Maphunziro Mbambande Quiz Competition Jacob Msolomoka said they decided to come up with a quiz competition after discovering that many learners in various schools were facing challenges in acquiring knowledge and some skills in education.

\”We decided to build confidence and self-esteem among learners through quiz initiative knowing that if a learner can stand and respond to questions in the presence of his fellow learners, the same skill can be applied during exams and in return this will improve literacy levels among leaners,\” he said.

Speaking in a separate interview, Kezzie Msukwa a standard 8 learner at Ilengo primary school expressed excitement by attributing the win to the whole school, saying the win was a result of team work and hardworking spirit.

Ilengo primary school which will represent the district at regional level, went away with a trophy, T-shirts, drinking bottles and school bags from World Vision International.

Healthwise is conducting this quiz competition in primary schools under Maphunziro Mbambande in 14 districts, namely; Chitipa, Karonga, Nkhatabay, Kasungu, Dowa, Ntchisi, Mchinji, Lilongwe, Dedza, Ntcheu, Salima, Machinga, Mulanje and Phalombe with financial support from World Vision International.