Luangwa District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Benjamin Chisulo says over 600 girls have returned to school through the Keeping Girls in School (KGS) project.
Father Chisulo says the girls returned to school through either the re-entry policy or by merely being encouraged.
“As Luangwa district, we have seen over 600 girls return to school after getting pregnant or not having money to pay,” said Fr. Chisulo.
Fr. Chisulo told ZANIS in an interview that the increase in the number of girls returning to school is attributed to government’s free education policy and the KGS project being implemented by the district funded by the World Bank.
Fr. Chisulo has, however, disclosed that there was need to raise awareness of government intervention in the villages.
He said being a rural community, Luangwa District has many challenges such as young girls who choose marriage over school.
And speaking in a separate interview with ZANIS, Feira Day Secondary School head teacher Edson Phiri has appealed to well-wishers to come to the aid of the school to build convenient boarding facilities for girls at the school if the Keeping Girls in School project to yield intended results.
Mr. Phiri disclosed that currently, the building that the girls from far flung areas are using for their weekly building is not suitable for habitation and requires a new structure altogether.
“The school currently has a population of about 858 pupils of which 112 girls are beneficiaries of the Keeping Girls in School project and we have noticed that some of these girls squat around in the community for temporary accommodation while others use this same building which is in bad shape,” Mr. Phiri.
The head teacher disclosed that some of the pupils come from distant places such as Chilombwe and Kavalamanja.
And you think we have a working government? This country has gone down hill since upnd took over. Luckily we are booting them out soon.