By STEPHANIE KUNDA –
DANGOTE Cement has commissioned a classroom block and a laboratory at Lupiya Combined School in Masaiti district on the Copperbelt that has been refurbished at a cost of more than K400,000.
Dangote Cement chief executive officer Vipul Agrawal says schools need to look beyond books and conventional classroom teaching as effective learning of science involves seeing and handling objects and materials.
He said during the commissioning of two laboratories and two classroom blocks at Lupiya Combined School in Masaiti yesterday that Dangote wanted to bring change in the education sector.
“It gives honour to be part of development aimed at bringing change in the education sector. In order to understand the concept of science, it is imperative for schools to look beyond books and conventional classroom teaching. Effective learning of science involves seeing and handling objects and material. This lab will encourage deep understanding in pupils,” he said.
He said that the refurbished laboratory was done at a cost of K343, 314 while the classroom cost K100, 000 stating that it was the desire of Dangote to continue to assist the Government efforts in improving the education sector.
Masaiti District Commissioner Annie Matutu said education would help reduce the pregnancy rate of teenagers in the district and that there was a need for more structures to help improve the learning environment of children.
“The community started the project. A good number of pupils passed here. Little did I know that this company is doing a lot. Masaiti is a vast area that needs a lot of school facilities. Free education should be supported because it is the only way that will change the lives of the people,” she said.
Ms Matuti advised pupils to avoid getting pregnant unnecessarily so that they would gain better futures through education.
And Lupiya combined school headteacher Melony Musonda who was gratified and called on other companies in the area to emulate what Dangote had done so as to enhance education.