Forum for African women Educationalists Zambia (FAWEZA) has appealed to school managements in Lusaka province to provide open learning streams for girls in back to school programs aged 28 years and above
FAWEZA Programs Manager, Faith Minja, appealed to school managements in the province to provide open learning streams for girls in back to school programs aged 28 years and above.
Ms Minja noted that mixing the middle aged girls with the younger ones will affect the performance of both groups of learners .
“What notes will they be sharing with the young ones? The older girls will also feel intimidated,” She wondered.
Mrs Minja told ZANIS in an interview yesterday in Luangwa District.
Meanwhile Luangwa district education standards officer, Herberty Siankanga noted that 56 school going girls fell pregnant in the district during the COVID -19 period , from February to date.
Mr. Siankanga attributed the increase in the number of teenage pregnancies in schools in the district to lack of parental guidance.
He called on parents and other stakeholders to teach the teenage girls on the importance of education.
And Mr. Siankanga further stated that government through the Keeping Girls in School (KGS) project have made strides in ensuring that the girls who stopped schools due to pregnancies and early marriages are taken back to school.
Mr. Siankanga further explained that district have an Open distance learning stream at Luangwa primary for the grade 9 drop outs and those who have never been to school and above the age of 28.
In addition , Luangwa District Commissioner Julius Sikasote says his office is working with other stakeholders to fight sexual violence against adolescent girls and guarantee them with human rights .
Mr. Sikasote said the district administration is using a multi-sectoral approach in fighting sexual violence and other related vices.
One of KGS project beneficiary , Glyceria Malunga has called on her fellow girls who are in marriages and those not in school, to take advantage of the government programs of keeping girls in school to continue with their education.
“I decided to go back to school, to improve my livelihood and be able to educate my children in future,” She said.
