High school dropouts hits Mulanje
Mulanje is one of the districts in the southern Malawi that has been affected by high levels of school dropouts.
Nalipiri Primary School is one of the schools in Mulanje that has been affected by increasing school dropout due to early pregnancies and early marriages.
Progressio ICS- Malawi allumni volunteers held a campaign on promoting girl child education at Nalipiri Primary school on Wednesday 18 February 2015.
The campaign which saw a gathering of more than 375 people, pupils inclusive had a discussion on factors that contribute to school dropouts and the pupils were inspired by a nurse at Mulanje District Hospital who narrated a story on her success.
Among other things the pupils said they end up dropping school because they lack basic needs like soap, exercise books and clothes which parents do not provide to them when they ask but rather tell them to provide for themselves. This leads to early pregnancies because they have nowhere else to get the basics but from men.
Honester Hedson Kachiunda, a Nurse Midwife Technician at Mulanje District Hospital urged the girls to work hard in class because early pregnancies have a lot of complications which can even lead to death.
The headteacher of the school Jonathan Nguluwe said last academic year alone saw 10 girls dropping out of school because they got pregnant.
He also added that this academic year which is in its second term has already seen FOUR girls dropping out because of pregnancy.
He also encouraged the Parents Teacher Association (PTA) to work together in promoting Girl Child Education.
Group Village Head Mangani thanked the team for the campaign saying that a lot of girls are dropping out of school due to early pregnancies but these issues are not openly talked about in the area.
She also encouraged parents to provide for their children so that they may someday be productive leaders.
This is happening when parliament in the country has just passed a bill that does not allow the girl child to marry before the age of 18.
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ATEACHER WORKING IN MULANJE:From my own experience,high rate of school dropout is influenced by culture especially system of marriage(Chikamwini).In chikamwini aman settles at the wife’s home and most powers are in the hands of the uncle.Which means the man who in most cases provides for the family has little say on his children.This discourages some men to take full support of children on education.In some cases men are warned not to take full control of children because simbumba yawo.As aresult many girls end up into early marriages and pregnances.At acetain school in Mulanje,parents accused teachers for discouraging sexual relationships among… Read more »
That is the reson some of us are saying that the bill which you have just passed is useless and toothless. Setting marriage age at 18 without stopping adults sleeping with under age girls will not solve this problem we are experiencing. Please stop tribalising this issue, it is a national problem!!! The number of pregnancies will reduce significantly if the law is changed banning adults sleeping with under age girls. There also should be no parental consent to marriage If the girl is under age. Parental consents are being greatly abused by parents just to get money from these… Read more »
ona comment usanakambe zoti chitstiru ndi ndani……………………..
this is not about tribes or what,,you people should wise up and stop the blame game,anthu enanu munangokula opanda nzeru…what is needed is to find a way forward to helping this act,it can happen to anybdy be it lomwe,tumbuka,sena yao etc…pple without brains mukubwezeresa chitukuko mbuyo…think like big people..reach out to them and if at all you are wise help them see the benefit of finishing school…for the parents,its ur duty to provide for ur children no matter wat till they can stand on their own after all u had them,u brot them to the world so provide for them…girls… Read more »
New university but they are dropping school kikiki just move it to nyikaland and wonders will flourish
Not surprised. Alomwe ambiri akumeneko ndi ku thyolo amadziwa iwo ndi uhule, umbanda ndi kuthyola tea mma tea estate basi.
Zitsiru za mtundu pa dziko.
Mhlako-no any surprise to me.
Mlakhos are useless. They are mostly the thieves and prostitutes we see around.