The only Teacher at a School

This is Lewis Ng’andwe, a teacher at a community School in Luapula province. According to Pamela Chisanga,  Lewis is the only teacher at Chiiba community school in Mansa.

Lewis teaches all grades (at the same time!). Grade 1 to 4 in one class and 5-6 in another. He has been the only teacher since 2003.

He says kids in this area only aim to go up to grade 7 and so there is no one in the community to assist him.

The Government has been promising to bring teachers but no one is willing to go there.

However, Government has put solar power at the school and the house Lewis lives in, but he doesn’t get a salary. He is paid in kind by the parents who give anything from caterpillars to pumpkins!

Ms Chisanga has bemoaned this situation and described Lewis as her hero.

“50 years after independence we have managed to put up beautiful roads in our cities but have entire villages that are illiterate and will remain so for generations to come!” Ms Chisanga notes.