Education Minister Dora Siliya says her ministry has managed to bring down levels of sexual harassment in schools in the country.
And visiting American Ambassador at Large for Global Women Issues Melanne Verveer has commended the Zambian government for its efforts in addressing the problem of girl’s child in schools.
Ms. Siliya said this is as a result of immediate suspension to all teachers found wanting in sexual harassment related cases while pending investigation.
She said Ministry of Justice was collaborating well with her ministry by intensifying the prosecution of under age sexual offenders.
Ms. Siliya said this in a speech read for her by Education Deputy Minister Dr. Boniface Kawimbe. This was during the Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) event in Lusaka today.
She said government is also encouraging girls who drop out of school because of pregnancy under the re-entry policy.
The minister, however, stated that despite the achievements made, government is still facing challenges in keeping the girl child in school.
The education minister has since called for concerted effort in discouraging early marriages especially among school going children who are below 18 years.
Ms. Siliya said the programme of keeping girls in schools should be encouraged by families, community, the church,and traditional leaders.
“The challenge of keeping the girls in school has to be met at several levels; at the level of the family and community. This should not be left by the government or the ministry of education alone.
There should be continuous sensitization of the importance of girl child education targeting the parents, church, traditional and civil
leaders.” He said.
The minister has also commended the Forum for African Women Educationist in Zambia (FAWEZA) and Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) for supporting the vulnerable children in schools through provision of scholarships.
And Ambassador Melanne Verveer has commended the Zambian government for its efforts in addressing the problem of girl’s child in schools.
Ms. Verveer , who also met with girls and teachers from selected schools Peace Corp offices , said education for a girl child remains the best possible way of fighting problems in the world.
She said women and girls continue to face the same problems of illiteracy and abuse world over but noted that most African countries have since started making strides in addressing the problems.
The Ambassador has also advised government to continue investing in the education of girl children for them to have meaningful development.
“Educating a girl child still remains the biggest investment for a nation especially a developing nation like Zambia to attain growth.
By educating women we are educating the family and the nation, ” she said.
She has also applauded the girls for their determination and vision in life.
And Forum for African Women Educationist in Zambia (FAWEZA) National Coordinator Daphne Chimuka said her organization is working with other cooperating partners in providing scholarship to needy girls.
Ms. Chamuka also said they are having problems in returning girls in schools because of the safety problems.
She said the provision of scholarships has,however, helped the girls to remain in schools.
[ ZANIS ]
Dora, how do you measure reduced levels of sexual harrassment in schools? You should have at least given us some statistics from what levels to what. Do not just yap like a marketeer. The speech is baseless. Kwati tawacitako SS240 na ba Dr. Musonda Lemba.
Putting up a good face before the Americans. Get real and deal with child sexual molestation in and out of the classroom.
Sex offenders in Zambia get off too easily. Establish and publish pictures of sex offenders in schools and all public places.
#2 even though I m a self confessed Dora hater, I will give it to her and agree that Ministry of Justice and Judiciary have tightened the law against sex offenders. Its the communities that need to be aware that these cases must be reported and not sorted utside court by payment of monies. Underlying problem remains POVERTY.
Due to extensive poverty levels, teachers and students go to school hungry; and thus they have no strength to execute their physical sexual desires. Zambian teachers are the poorest teachers in the world.By the way, the insunuation that most sexual offences are commited by teachers is incorrect and demotivating to our teaching fraternity, especially coming from the minister.