Office of the Second Vice-President has emphasised the need to strengthen vocational skills programmes to provide a second chance to girls and young people who drop out of school due to poverty, early marriages and teenage pregnancies.
Special assistant on Women Affairs in the Office of the Second Vice-President Ammatullah Annie Maluwa, said on Monday in Machinga that community skills development centres can help school dropouts acquire practical skills and become self-reliant.
Speaking during the launch of Sukulu Ndi Ya Mwana Wa Mkazi initiative at Nyambi Community Skills Development Centre, she said some young people may not return to formal education, but can still build productive lives through vocational training.
“There are some girls whose interests may not be in formal education, but they can still build productive lives through vocational skills training. That is why we are working closely with training centres in communities,” she said.
Machinga District Council director of agriculture and natural resources Raphael Mkisi said the initiative comes at a time the district continues to register high school dropout rates, particularly among girls.
He attributed the situation to harmful cultural practices and said strengthening community skills development centres will help equip young people with skills for self-reliance.
Nyambi Community Skills Development Centre management committee chairperson Hannif Tanganyika said the institution is struggling to operate due to inadequate infrastructure and lack of funding.
He said the centre has trained 130 girls in various vocational skills since 2021 but continues to face challenges, including shortage of classroom space and an unreliable water supply.
“We have gone for three years without receiving government funding. This has affected our operations because we are failing to replace a water pump that was stolen two years ago,” said Tanganyika.
Senior Chief Nyambi commended government for launching the initiative, saying it will help reduce school dropout rates among girls.
