Grade seven pupils of Kapachi Basic School in Chadiza district have challenged government and other stakeholders to carry out a vigorous campaign to sensitise parents on the importance of sending children to eradicate illiteracy.
Speaking to ZANIS in Chadiza today, one of the Children Florence Zulu said the campaign should be targeted at both parents and pupils in a bid to improve literacy levels in the district.
“Children should also realize that they can only bring tangible development to their areas as well as improve the living standards of parents and their communities if they acquired education as it is the only key to success,” she said.
Florence said parents should also understand that forcing children to either herd cattle or marrying them off at a tender age was of detriment to the affected children and the future welfare of both the family and country at large.
“Other organizations should emulate Plan International which is doing everything possible to improve the lives children by working to reduce cattle herding by children, discourage bad cultural practices and encourage entrepreneurship to improve income generation,” another pupil Blackson Phiri added.
Blackson 16 of the same school said traditional Nyau dancing, herding cattle and allowing people from towns to get children to work in their homes were a thorn issues in Chadiza district.
Blackson has since challenged children to utilize the programmes that Plan International has put in the district place such as orientation of children on Youth Parliament and children’s tribunal.
“What Plan International is doing to teach us through the conveners of Youth Parliament on what happens in parliament when our Members of Parliament formulate laws has really helped us to understand” he said.
Meanwhile, Plan International Programme Communication Coordinator for Chadiza Masuka Mutenda said it was Plan’s focus and programme approach to use the child-centered initiatives for community development.
Ms Mutenda said her organization has continued to sensitise both the children and parents on the bad effects of bad cultural practices such as the labor bondage of boy child to herd cattle with a view to be given a cow after laboring for three to four years.
“Its not that Plan is against cultural practice like initiation ceremonies but that such ceremonies could be performed during school holidays rather than disturbing the school calendar,” she said.
Plan International is operating in ten communities in Chadiza targeting mainly small-scale farmers who grow crops and keep livestock.
