Only 16% learners complete primary school in Mangochi
Mangochi District Education Manager (Dem), Sam Kalanda, has expressed the need for more interventions in the education sector following a revelation that only 16 percent of children complete primary school education in the district.
Kalanda was speaking in an interview on the sidelines of an open day organised by Malawi Girl Guide Association (Magga) at Mdinde Primary School grounds in Traditional Authority Katuli in the district which was aimed at creating awareness on the newly introduced ‘I can, I will Complete My education Project.’
The Dem commended the role government and other stakeholders are playing in promoting education in the district.
He, however, said there is still more that needs to be done considering that Mangochi is still lagging behind in terms of the levels of education compared to other districts.
“We have a population of over to 1.2 million people out of which over 260,000 are in primary school. But it is sad to note that only 16 percent of the total will complete their primary school. The situation is bad for girls as only 13 percent complete Standard Eight,” said Kalanda.
With all these indicators, Kalanda said there is need to involve all stakeholders to improve the situation on the ground, considering that if the trend is left unchecked, the district will have more uneducated people, which in turn will affect its socioeconomic development.
He expressed the hope that, with the current projects being implemented in the district, his office and its partners will be able to increase the completion rate from 16 percent to 50 percent in the next three years.
“There are other areas such as Katuli where only 8 percent of children complete school. This is worrisome. We have been engaging parents and guardians because our findings have shown that they [parents] hold the key to improving education standards in the district,” said Kalanda.
Magga Executive Director Mphatso Jimu said they are aiming at empowering girls to make their own decisions regarding their future because reports indicate that most parents in Mangochi force their children into marriages.
“We want to empower them with knowledge and skills that can motivate them to complete their education. This we believe can be done by, among other things, giving them a chance to appreciate the importance of education,” said Jimu.
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