Rural pupils need quality education

EFFORTS towards the provision of nutrition and access to quality education and clean water for most children in rural areas must be stepped up in light of thousands of children who continue to languish without these universal human rights.

Thousands of boys and girls at primary level drop out of school yet thousands more drop out of secondary schools due to lack of money and other school needs.

Education is a basic universal human right declared in numerous regional and international conversions.

Yet a visit in most rural areas would reveal a pathetic sign of drop-outs who have been turned into herd boys and house maids at a very tender age.

Girl children are converted into sex slaves by men who could be their fathers. Clean water and nutritious food remain some of the greatest challenges in most communities. Scores of children go hungry for days. When they eat, they eat food that lacks all the necessary nutritional ingredients. These children are fed with food that lacks body building nutrients. Water for drinking is another challenge. Some rural children have never known clean water. Boreholes are always out of order leaving children with dam water. In some cases shallow streams become the source of water.

Rural children need quality education, food and water for survival.

Masukume Nelson Nhlalo and Edson Son of the Soil Sibanda,