Chief Nkweto warns against child marriages

CHIEF Nkweto of the Bemba people of Chinsali has warned parents in his chiefdom against marrying off their children at a tender age.

Speaking during a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of Musanya Secondary School. Chief Nkweto said he would not entertain any parent marrying of children at a tender age.

Chief Nkweto said early marriages had detrimental effects on the future and health of children especially young girls.

Chief Nkweto said Government was concerned with the welfare of children especially girls as evidenced by the construction of schools and formulation of policies aimed at promoting girl child education.

“Government has shown so much commitment to promote education through the construction of schools and formulating of various policies so that our children can be in school, who then will be in school if we marry off a girl-child?

Let us educate the children for sustainable development of our children,’’ Chief Nkweto said

Chief Nkweto warned that he would work with the Ministry of Education community leaders and law enforcement agencies to ensure that those marrying off children were brought to book. And Chief Nkweto has commended Government’s move to construct a secondary school in the area. Chief Nkweto said the construction of the secondary school in the area would go a long way towards improving literacy levels in his chiefdom and country at large.

He said the school would enhance children’s access to secondary education unlike in the past where children were required to travel to Chinsali boma about 90 km from Chief Nkweto’s area and 120 km to Isoka to access secondary education. “This secondary school that Government and cooperating partners will construct in my chiefdom will help reduce illiteracy and improve pupil’s access to secondary education unlike in the past when few parents could manage to take their children to secondary schools,” chief Nkweto Said

Chief Nkweto said building of a secondary school was a dream come true for the people.

Musanya Secondary School is among schools Government is expected to construct under Zambia Education Enhancement Project.

Government has shown so much commitment to promote education through the construction of schools and formulating of various policies so that our children can be in school, who then will be in school if we marry off a girl-child?” — Chief Nkweto.