Sensitize chiefs on girl child education, authorities told

Senior Chief Mwilang’ombe in Karonga has asked authorities to impart knowledge to traditional leaders in the district on the girl child right to education.

Observing that the vice is crucial in reversing the rampant trend of school dropouts that is being experienced in the northern lakeshore district.

Mwilang’ombe made the call Tuesday during a panel discussion conducted by Development Alternative Incorporation (DAI) under their Governance for Solutions Project with financial assistance from USAID, organized as Malawi joins the rest of the world in commemorating International Day of the Girl Child.

According to Mwilang’ombe, the country needs educated people to help in propelling development hence chiefs have a big role to play in championing the girl child.

Further noting that if traditional leaders can be reached out with information on the girl child education, they will be better placed to encourage their subjects in discouraging young people not to get married early and focus on school.

“There is a lot of our traditional leaders who are ignorant on educating the girl child as such they must be reached out to orient them on the impact and importance of educating our girl child,” he said.

Adding that having by-laws alone is not enough in reducing school dropouts if traditional leaders themselves do not see the importance of education hence the call.
On her part District Gender Officer Irene Mwenelupembe, said it was about time that the district woke up from its slumber and took decisive action on the plight of the girl child.

“We have seen that mare talk will not save the girl child, action and decisive action will help bring down the number of girls who are being married off thus chiefs have a big role to play in ending the vice,” Mwenelupembe said.

Termwa Kamanga a youth in the district, emphasized the need for stakeholders to walk the talk by enforcing the by-laws that they enact saying doing so can help to send out a strong message to the girl child and parents that authorities are serious about educating girls.

Over 3,200 school dropout cases have been registered in Karonga according to authorities since 2020 due to among others teenage pregnancies, fishing and motorcycle businesses.