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Chikwawa counsellors urged to spread education messages

 

Chikwawa District Council has asked communities to incorporate education messages during initiation ceremonies.

The district’s social welfare officer Rosemary Mahata said this on Thursday at Bereu in the district where they organised a meeting with traditional counsellors (anankungwi) from various areas within Traditional Authority (T/A) Maseya.

She said their findings revealed that girls are motivated to engage in unsafe sex, which increases cases of early pregnancies and marriages.

Mahata (R) interacts with counsellors during the meeting

“Basically, the issue was on child protection because we believe the counsellors have a pertinent role to play to protect the children, especially those that go to initiation ceremonies.

“Nothing on education is tackled, but we have asked them that wherever they go to do such activities, they should advise children on the importance of education,” she said.

On his part, Centre for Social Concern (CfSC) project officer Kondwani Hara, whose organisation is implementing a rural basic needs basket project in the area, said there is a need for duty-bearers to understand that children have a right to education.

“Once educated, girls have opportunities to get good families, they are able to encourage their children to go to school, and in the end, contribute positively to the whole nation,” he said.

In his remarks, Chikwawa first grade magistrate Gladstone Chilundu said nobody is above the law; hence, the need to guard against child abuse.

One of the counsellors, Elizabeth Fyton from group village head Mwatchona acknowledged that initiation ceremonies have a negative impact on education. n

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