Copying coordinates 15°48'33"S 34°56'53"E to paste into Google Earth Search box will produce a placemark near the school. Historical imagery of the buildings appearing from 2002 to date can be seen using the icon on the top line that looks like an alarm clock.

Up until 2010, the school had little apart from students and teachers. Over the next 10 years, the buildings below have been built and equipped in succession.

2011-2012 Triple classroom block completed.

2012-2013. Fourth classroom, library and two small offices.

2014-2016. Laboratory, storerooms and a Teachers’ Office. A pass in a science practical is essential and practicals account for 40 % of marks in the exam

2016-2017 House for Head Teacher (H.T.) with outside buildings for toilet, kitchen & bathroom. A Head Teacher is supposed to live on the school site. Water supply, wiring, connection to the grid and a hurdle fence were completed.

2018-2019. Menstrual hygiene toilet block. Misinformation and fear mean that girls can miss a lot of schooling every month. Better sanitation facilities at the school can help this. This block has larger cubicles and a changing / washing area.

2019-2020. Another two classrooms. An increase from 50 to 100 students starting in Form 1 each year meant classes were too large and had to be divided.

2022. Termites eating wooden shelving and books in the library was a problem, despite several efforts at treatment by a local contractor. An international fumigation company was employed to treat inside the building and around the outside of this block. To date, this appears to have been successful.

2023-2024. 50 two seater desks and repairs to other desks, librarian desk, more shelving for library, tables for new teachers in the Staff Room, ramp at Head Teacher’s house, large cupboards for Teachers’ Office and Laboratory storeroom. Replacement of a collapsed pit latrine toilet, repairs to lab sinks, renovation lab benches, interior painting of classrooms and other rooms.

The hurdle fence at the Head Teacher's house had storm damage and was being eaten by termites. It has been replaced with a "brick fence".

Regular maintenance of school buildings and Head Teacher's house, toilets, repairs after storm or cyclone damage, gutter drainage repairs, servicing water harvesting system, solar system & security lighting replacement and repairs as needed, painting of chalkboards, all continue.

Funding for textbooks, lab. materials, maths sets, calculators needed for the exams, in-service training for teachers, extra teaching in holidays for the top exam class.

JCE, second year exam, 2024. 58 (80%) passed. (National pass rate ≈71%) MSCE fourth year exam., 2024. 26 (59%) passed. National pass rate ≈55%.   For  rural schools, the average pass rate is less than 50%

Schools in rural areas have additional challenges. The location and difficulty of access may be unattractive to teachers; there is no transport to this area. A bicycle may help but the route is hilly with a very rough track and it is dangerous in the 3 month rainy season. Parents, guardians and relatives of students may have minimal education unlike growing up in U.K. where being surrounded by people with education is an advantage.

As well as building the “Menstrual Hygiene” block, sanitary pads are available at the school for the emergency situation. Each sponsored girl has recently been given a supply of washable ones. We are close to having no loss of school time for girls in the month because of this.

In the last few years, there have been offers of University places. The student (Photo right) is doing Bachelor of Science in Education degree, specializing in Chemistry

This year (2024) Mitsidi CDSS qualified for an award giving ceremony for the outstanding performance of the student who got the best marks at the school in MSCE this year. The function took place recently at the Polytechnic College in Blantyre. This student actually got the best MSCE marks ever at Mitsidi CDSS and he is applying to University to study Engineering. (Photo left)

In addition to the buildings listed above

Toilets facilities for students and staff were essential. Ground gutters for water drainage and landscaping help to prevent erosion in the rainy season; as this can undermine foundations. Repairs to access roads, steps, ramps, concrete path down steep slope to toilets were needed. The school is on sloping land and in an exposed position. The ground falls away quite steeply for 200 vertical metres behind the library block. Roof repairs have been required following gale force winds on a couple of occasions. Window shutters were installedto reduce the efffect of wind coming through the breeze block windows and lifting roofing sheets.

Connection to the mains water supply was eventually achieved. The water harvesting system requires regular servicing. Plumbing was needed in the lab. Solar systems were installed for power supply and security lighting . Translucent roof panels improved lighting in classrooms. Security is needed to store valuable schools items so locks, window and door protectors are necessary.

Desks, chairs, cupboards, library shelves & tables, laboratory benches, cupboards & shelves for laboratory storerooms, furniture for small offices and Teachers’ Office, noticeboards, maintenance of floors, wall painting and chalkboards all require funding.

The Government pays Teachers’ salaries but little else. Termly fees paid by students (about £10 per term) provide for some items - jotters, pens, - chalk, school reports for parents / guardians three times a year, some textbooks, syllabuses, cleaning materials, mains water supply, as well as salaries for librarian and guards. Exam papers have to be printed and photocopied three times a year so for 10 or more subjects and for each Form, this is an expensive exercise in itself.

Much has been spent on textbooks (about £8 each, a different one for each subject and for each school year). Library books, reference books for teachers and laboratory items are costly. A second-hand laptop was donated to the school and a 3 in 1 printer purchased. Training for teachers, extra teaching for the top exam class, solar lamps for students to work at home (dark at 6 p.m. year round) also has been funded in the past.

  Bicycles have been purchased and repaired. Only the Head Teacher lives nearby; an hour and a half walk for others and a 7.30 a.m. start. A bicycle might reduce it to 30 minutes, helping teachers arrive on time and fresher in the heat or in the rains.