As the First Lady Gertrude Mutharika is vowing to see a lot of girls in schools, the situation is different at Chankhasi Private Primary School in Nkhotakota where more than 12 girls have dropped out of school during the 2015/2016 academic year.
According to the director of the school Father Andrew Banda, some of the girls left school to get married while others dropped out after getting pregnant. Banda said there is need for parents and authorities to find solutions to this problem.
“I am suggesting to build hostels at the school particularly for girls so that they must be confined to one place,” said Father Banda.
Father Banda mentioned lack of education among parents, lack of role models, and poor educational backgrounds as some of the causes of the high dropout rate of girls.
“It is not easy for someone who does not understand the beauty of education to encourage her child to pursue with education,” said Father Banda.
He added that he will bring together all community members around the school to civic educate them about the importance of educating a girl child. In his remarks, one of the community members Stambuli Chisunzi said poverty is a huge cause of the high dropout rate.
Recently, Gertrude Mutharika through Beautify Malawi Trust (BEAM) pumped in K2.5 Million in Bring Back Girl Child to School project that is going to benefit twenty five girls from Mzimba, Thyolo, Phalombe, Balaka and Dedza Districts.
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