19 girls drop out of school in Rumphi

At least 19 girls have dropped out of school from Katowo Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Rumphi District in the 2022/23 academic year, it has emerged.

In an interview on Saturday, the school’s head teacher Macmillan Kamoza attributed the dropout rate to long distance to school.

He said the school has limited boarding space, which forces some girls to do self-boarding in places where school authorities have little control.

“The freedom outside the campus tempts some girls to engage in sexual relationships to meet their needs and that can result in pregnancies; hence, dropping out of school,” said Kamoza.

He said the CDSS receives learners from 11 feeder schools from Thanzima, Chisimuka and part of Zolekere, about 14 kilometres away.

Kamoza said while the First Lady Monica Chakwera’s initiative to construct a hostel with support from the Japanese Government has made a difference, the number of girls is more than the available boarding space of about 100 girls.

“The school has 575 students out of which 299 are girls. I ask for more hostels to be constructed at the school to protect the girls,” he said.

The school’s head girl Oliga Banda said girls from poor families, who cannot afford the fees and upkeep money, have dropped out of school.

“The boarding space is also not enough to accommodate all girls, which puts those on self-boarding at a disadvantage,” she said.

Catherine Ng’ambi, child protection worker in Senior Chief Katumbi Catherine Ng’ambi Namwai urged parents to provide their children with support when they go on self-boarding.

“This will prevent the girls from falling prey to men,” she said.

In October 2022 the First Lady through her Shaping Our Future Foundation handed over an 80-bed hostel worth K95 million to keep more girls in school.