Keeping girls in school initiative on track- FAWEMA
The Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi (FAWEMA), says the keeping girls in school initiative is on the right track realizing a tremendous reduction of female pupil drop out recently.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of a function called ‘Weekend Advocacy, Girls Space, School experience’ held in Nsanje, on Saturday, the forum’s Southern Region Chairperson Dora Chilenje said several girls are now remaining in school unlike in the past.
She noted that most of the girls now have a good experience and understanding on the importance of education.
“From the look of things, female learners are now able to appreciate the importance of education despite several challenges they are encountering in the community. Nowadays, female learners are able to stand up and say no to harmful cultural practices that have been leading them into dropping out of schools,” she said.
Moreover according to FAWEMA, more female learners in the past were forced into early marriages resulting into early pregnancies that saw them dropping out of school.
Currently, girls who dropped out of school due to different challenges are also said to be going back to school under the re-admittance program.
FAWEMA is implementing the Keeping Girls in School Program with funding from DFID and Save the Children to ensure that female learners have equal access to education with men.
Commenting on the same, Senior Nsanje District Education Inspector Mary Kamba Kadyasiche who represented the District Education Manager, said though harmful cultural practices remain an issues and impacting negatively on girls education, Nsanje district is on the right track as regards to keeping girls in school.
“We have to admit here that despite poverty, long distances and lack of motivation, and harmful cultural practices that force girls into early marriages, female learners have come to realize that time has come to defy all odds and remain in school,” she said.
She asked all district stakeholders to play a role in keeping girls in schools.
