National News

Network geared to promote girls education

 

Girls Network Malawi, an organisation which establishes girl empowerment networks in secondary schools, has embarked on a mentorship programme to promote girls education in the country.

Speaking in a recent interview, Girls Network Malawi executive director Ulala Kondowe said the programme, called Mentor Me, will start on December 1 this year with young volunteer women aged between 25 and 35 pairing up with secondary school girls.

Kondowe: Girls face challenges

“The volunteers will be providing guidance and basic support to the girls for an initial period of six months,” she said.

Kondowe said Girls Network Malawi came up with the initiative after noticing the challenges girls face in the country.

She said:  “ We realised that having a mentor and a role model would help girls stay in school and achieve their goals. Currently, we have vibrant girls’ networks in six schools. However, the Mentor Me programme will only involve girls from one network which is at Chichiri Secondary School.”

Commenting on the development, Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) executive director Benedicto Kondowe commended the programme, saying mentorship is crucial for girls considering that the country’s education system has inadequate female teachers to inspire the female learners.

He said female teachers play a vital role in providing complementary mentorship for the girl child, hence the introduction of the ‘Mentor Me’ programme will help complement their efforts. n

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3 Comments

  1. The idea is very good. However, the choice of Chichiri Secondary School I think it’s not quite right. That’s a school at the centre of Blantyre city where most students come from families that are civilized. Their children are relatively well mentored. I think the project would best fit a school in the rural areas where some parents are literally illiterate. Besides, there are less role models.

  2. I think the way to go is to make sure that both boys and girls are given the necessary mentoring schemes required for them to achieve their full potential in life….
    Targeting girls alone is not only counterproductive but also raises a lot of questions on exactly what we are trying to achieve.
    I am a male and when I finished my secondary school education I had no clue on what I will do next because of lack of career talks and or mentoring programs…
    A lot of girls believe that they are second class creatures to men just because of such programs that segregate them from their male counterparts and treat them like endangered species.
    So let us stop this political correctness and treat boys and girls as same human beings……
    Ndatha Ine Yanu Mbonga

    1. You are spot on Mbonga……..political correctness that’s exactly what it is
      If someone start a similar program to target only boys there will be a huge public outcry, so stop this nonsense……there other better ways of making money.

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