79 school girls reported pregnant in Mchinji
Mchinji District Education Office says 79 school girls in the district are pregnant since the closure of schools in March due to Covid-19 pandemic.
District Education Manager representative Raphael Mbeleko said this on Friday during a meeting Mudziwathu Community Radio organised on how Covid-19 has affected different sectors in the district.
He said the report, from the district’s 16 primary education zones,also says 106 learners are married.
“Through reports gathered by head teachers from all primary schools in the district, 87 girls are in marriage while 19 boys are now married since schools closed on 23 March 2020,” he said.
Mbeleko, who is Mchinji district coordinating primary education adviser,said the office, through Malawi Education Sector Improvement, conducted a survey at Mgubo Primary School where most learners were found indulging in drug and alcohol abuse.
The DEM office has since engaged parents and other stakeholders such as health and social welfare through community dialogue platform on the need to sensitise learners on Covid-19 and child abuse.
Mudziwathu station manager Joseph Njanje said the radio will engage and consult stakeholders and the audience to provide information on Covid-19 and dispel myths and misconceptions about the virus.
“We hope to hold more consultative meetings through our social and behaviour change communication project on Covid-19, funded by USAid through FHI 360 health communication for life [HC4L],” he said.
The district has registered 46 Covid-19 cases and four deaths.
Schools have remained closed since March 23 when government declared a National Disaster.
