Upgrade schools, govt urged

KALWA ward residents in Mkushi have repeated call to government to up grade one primary school in the area into a secondary school.

This follows reports that pupils in Chief Mulungwe's chiefdom are reportedly dropping out of school in grade seven due to lack of secondary schools in the area.

Kalwa ward Councillor Gerald Manda told the Daily Nation in an interview that the situation was a source of concern which has resulted into early marriages on the side of female pupils.

Mr.Manda said the area has only three Primary Schools that go up to grade seven without a senior secondary.

He said as a result, pupils who pass to go to grade eight face difficulties in accessing junior and senior secondary education and so dropping out in grade seven.

Councillor Manda mentioned Chibanga, Mulungwe and Katula as the only three Primary schools in the ward.

Mr. Manda explained that Kalwa ward being in a rural set up, it was a challenge for parents and guardians to have money to enrol pupils into the near by Fiwila Boarding Secondary School which was situ- ated 35kms away.

“For this reason, pupils who manage to go to Fiwila Boarding Secondary School end up renting thatched houses in villages around the school, a situation which has seen female pupils ending up pregnant and dropping out of school. This is also contributing to unwanted pregnancies and early marriages in the area,” Mr. Manda said. Mr. Manda said there was need for government through the relevant ministry to upgrade one or two primary schools to the secondary level or construct one in the area so that all pupils who pass to go to grade eight and 10 could be catered for.

Mr. Manda said he reported the matter to the District Education Board Secretary's (DEBS) office but nothing has been done to improve the situation. Councillor Manda raised fears that, if the situation was not checked, the area will be filled up with uneducated youths who might become perverts in society and impact negatively on the social-economic development of the ward as well as the whole country.

Efforts to contact the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Felistus Kalembo proved futile as she was reported out office by press time.