Campaign for Female Education (Camfed), in partnership with Education Above All Foundation, are providing essential learning materials to girls in Thyolo in a bid to promote girls’ education in the district.
In an interview on Saturday, Education Above All Foundation senior data analyst Joshua Maina said they are implementing Educate a Child Programme in the district to ensure that girls complete their education.
“The dedication that learner guides, teacher mentors and other stakeholders have demonstrated is impressive,” he said.
Thyolo district chief education officer Rebecca Misili hailed the two non-governmental organisations for implementing the programme in the district, saying it improved enrolment and retention of learners in targeted schools.
She said: “The introduction of entitlements, learner guide sessions, study circles and home visits has brought significant impact.
“Since its introduction, Educate a Child Programme has enabled 545 learners [296 girls and 249 boys] to get selected to secondary school.”
Misili noted that other schools adopted the interventions, including the use of complaint boxes to address concerns in their respective schools.
Asireni Jeffrey, teacher mentor at Mkaombe Primary School, said the programme has a psychosocial support component that helps to address challenges such as child abuse that affect children’s education.
She also acknowledged that the programme reduced absenteeism, particularly among girls, who previously missed classes during menstruation.
Standard Eight learner and the programme’s beneficiary Deborah Magalasi said the support girls receive encourages them to stay in school despite economic challenges facing their families.
“The entitlements help us focus on our education and motivate us to work hard,” she said.
Launched in 2022, the programme targets 103 primary schools in Thyolo
