Child marriages affect education—minister
Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Jean Sendeza has asked parents and other stakeholders to collaborate in ending child marriages.
She said this on Monday at Mpingu Primary School in Traditional Authority Mbwatalika when Lilongwe District Council commemorated the International Day of the African Child.
Sendeza said despite different interventions the government and non-governmental organisations are implementing, gender-based violence (GBV), including child marriages, are still rampant.
“You need to know that every child has the right to education and it is parents’ responsibility to ensure that their children are going to school,” she said
Sendeza expressed concern with the recent Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examinations results for learners from the Central Region.
She said: “This is a wake-up call for all of us. Paying school fees alone is not enough. These poor results show that there are many challenges that affect children.
“We must work together as it is not a one-man show and there is need to bring up stiff penalties to parents who send their children to marriages.”
Lilongwe district social welfare officer Derrick Mwenda thanked the government for advancing the welfare of children.
However, he expressed concern with GBV cases and dropout rate among girls in the district due to early marriages.
Lilongwe Civil Society Organisation Network chairperson Gibozi Mphanzi said despite their efforts, there are still challenges that children are facing.
“We are worried with the recent examination results. This shows that there is need to support learners,” he said.
The district commemorated the day under the theme ‘Quality and inclusive education for all children; it starts now’.
