The district's chief education officer, Godfrey Kubwense, has told Zodiak Online that most of the schools have few toilets which is against the recommended toilet to learners' ratio of 1:60.

Kubwense said this on Tuesday when Thyolo Teachers' Sacco made available two toilets to Nachipere primary school worth K4. 5 million.

"In most of our schools indeed we have this problem, but Nachipere was one of the schools where we have seen a very big shortfall of toilets because they have very few for both girls and boys.

"Now we thank Thyolo Teachers Sacco for noting this problem and assisting with these sanitary facilities. These will be assisting the learners and improve the health condition of the institution," he said.

The school's headteacher, Clement Nyowera revealed that at some point,"inspectors wanted to close this school due to the bad state of the toilets as 280 learners were using one toilet."

Teachers' Sacco's board chairperson, Fortunate Chanza, says despite that the financial institution started at the school in the 80s, the donation is aimed at enhancing sanitation and countering the cholera outbreak.

"We realize that in Malawi we have a cholera outbreak, now looking at the situation at this school, we thought some learners may contact the diseases. And also we recognise this school because our Sacco started here as a teacher's bank in 1989, then it has grown to a country wide institution", Chanza said.

Started in 1962, Nachipere primary school has an enrolment of 3, 359 against 12 toilets and few desks.