Girls’ school dropout worry govt
Deputy Minister of Education Nancy Chaola Mdooko has said government is constructing boarding hostels for girls in the country’s various secondary schools to keep girls in school.
She said this in Dedza on Monday after touring projects at Dzenza Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) and Linthipe Secondary School where government is constructing a school block and girls’ hostels respectively.
The deputy minister expressed worry over an increased rate of school dropout among girls in the area, calling on chiefs to institute by-laws against child marriages.
Said Mdooko: “This is worrisome. I will come back for a talk with the girls. Every child should be educated so that the vision we have for development in the Malawi 2063 should be realised.”
Speaking on behalf of the community around Dzenza CDSS, Dedza Catholic Diocese pastoral secretary Father Joseph Billiat attributed long distances to the school as one of the reasons for early pregnancies and child marriages which lead to school dropout, especially for girls.
“Most of the students come from far. They rent houses in nearby villages, which puts them in a vulnerable situation,” he said.
Linthipe Secondary School head teacher Nover Kamtunzi said the school, which was expected to have 400 students by now, has 334 as some have dropped out.
“In Form One, we register 100 students but this year only 65 students sat for the Form Four examinations. Although some might have transferred to other schools, the majority dropped out,” he said.
However, both projects at Dzenza CDSS and Linthipe Secondary School have stalled due to delayed funding and both Father Billiat and Kamtunzi raised concern that the delay is undermining their efforts to keep girls in school.
Teasbornie Mkandawire, site engineer for Chinjoka Construction at the Linthipe Secondary School project, said they started the project in February 2018 and it was expected to complete in September 2019.
“We are currently at 85 percent completion. We expect to complete the works in three months if we get the funds in time. We are remaining with external works, painting and fittings,” he said.
In 2018, the construction of a twin hostel block, kitchen, multi-purpose hall, matron’s house and associated external works, was pegged at K794.5 million, but according to Mkandawire, the figure might get to K900 million considering the rising cost of materials.
