Involve children in policy making, Parly urged

CHILDREN and young people should be involved in crafting policies that affect them, members of the Junior Parliament said yesterday.

Speaking during a dialogue with the Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Primary and Secondary Education, the child president of the Senate, Gamuchirai Muzvondiwa, said more needed to be done to involve children and young people in issues affecting them.

The dialogue was organised by Mashambanzou Care Trust under the Misean Cara Project which is assisting schools in development initiatives.

“As young people we have a mantra that says ‘anything done for a child without the child is not for the child,’ therefore when we have awareness campaigns on issues like drug abuse, we should involve young artistes to lead such campaigns instead of relying on established ones.” Miss Muzvondiwa called on Parliament to craft policies that make it easier for girls who fall pregnant to complete their education.

“I have seen boys that have children coming to school but I have never seen a pregnant girl or one that has a child coming to school even though the policy allows that. I think Government should re-look at the matter to address the issue or create special institutions for such girls,” she said.

Junior MP for Harare South Ashly Taguta said it was important that children and young people be educated on their rights, especially the right to education.

“It is important that children, especially the girls affected by teenage pregnancies, be made aware of their right to education despite falling pregnant so that they don’t become idle at home and be exposed to other social vices,” she said.

Miss Taguta said it was disheartening that some less privileged children under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) were being sent home for non-payment of fees which was against Government policy.

Mbare Constituency Junior MP Guardian-Angel Time said the drug abuse scourge could be addressed by dealing with idleness among children and young people.

“The Government should construct more vocational training centres so that young people have something to do because idleness is fuelling drug abuse,” he said.

The chairman of the Portfolio Committee, Cde Obvious Murambiwa, said it was illegal for pupils to be sent home for non-payment of fees or for falling pregnant.

“The law does not allow headmasters to send back home children for non-payment of fees or falling pregnant although for the latter issues of stigmatisation have to be addressed,” he said.

Government has adopted a new curriculum emphasising adoption of practical skills.