Parents told to invest in children’s education

The Malawi Law Commission has asked Mangochi District Social Mobilisation Committee to encourage parents and guardians to invest in their children’s education.

The commission’s civic education officer Orama Maliro said this on Tuesday in the district when the commission engaged the committee on child and gender-related laws.

This is part of an intervention that the commission is implementing in partnership with Unicef under the Joint Programme on Girls Education to promote safe schools, homes and communities to enable children get education.

Speaking during the engagement with the committee, Maliro said some parents and guardians were still marrying off their children at the expense of education.

He said: “From our discussions, it is clear that some parents and guardians are forcing their children to drop school for marriages. We have also seen how the children are being abused at home. However, it is against the law to do these things.”

Maliro said it remains the commission’s commitment to eliminate all forms of violence against children in schools, homes and in communities.

“The law ensures that children grow and become an integral part of society to contribute meaningfully to the country’s development,” he said.

Mangochi district director of administration Bisai Mtayamanja welcomed the initiative, saying they needed people well-versed with the law to impart the knowledge to stakeholders to protect children from violence.

“We have many challenges concerning children as many parents and guardians neglect their children. We hope the discussion will help to make the children safe,” he said.

Joyce Kululanga, from the education sector, asked the commission to take the initiative to rural areas in the district.

“I am happy that you have engaged us and we pledge to raise awareness on children’s rights in  communities,” she said.