Students from a Norwegian University have made available free bed nets to four public primary schools in Lilongwe as their contribution to fighting malaria which is the major health cause for absenteeism in the local junior education system.

Sonnans University deputy principal Torsverre Eugo said the donation followed a request in view of the problems that children were facing due to cases of malaria.

He said upon being persuaded that the primary school children of Malawi needed assistance, some students of the university begun fundraising to bail out students from the school.

Eugo said other than the bed nets, students from the university have built school blocks in some of their project schools and now plan to improve infrastructure such as some old school blocks, provide classroom desks and provide learning materials.

The schools to benefit from the 2,233 mosquito nets include Chankhandwe, Chinsapo, Chatuwa and Mwenyekondo.

Lilongwe District Education Manager Sezerine Misomali was all praises for the Norwegian students saying their gesture would help scores of children attend school as previously, they were perpetually forced to stay home because of repeated bouts of malaria.

“This is a timely donation. It is during the rainy season that cases of malaria are more prevalent. Malaria kills a lot of children. The mosquito nets will reduce cases of malaria among these children,” Misomali said adding that school attendance should thus shoot.

“The reduction of malaria will promote quality education as there will be increased class attendance,” she said.