Churches blamed for learners’ performance
Primary education advisor (PEA) for Kanjuchi Zone in Mzimba, Emmanuel Thosi, has said churches have a hand in learners’ poor performance in class.
He said this on Friday on the sidelines of an open day organised by ActionAid to end violence that school-going children are facing in their respective areas.
assault have been reduced
Said Thosi: “Churches are contributing to the learners’ poor performance in education because they make them absent themselves from classes to attend church functions, including singing at funerals.”
He asked churches to stop such practices to allow learners attend to school matters.
Traditional Authority Khosolo said it is unfortunate that churches are also playing a part in interfering with learners’ school programmes, mainly by getting them to sing at church functions and funerals.
ActionAid programmes coordinator Aaron Luhanga said his organisation understands the importance of girls’ education and that is why it is building hostels to accommodate girls.
The project is implemented in partnership with Ujama organisation.
Ujama coordinator in the district, Martha Kapanga, said the organisations are also training the girls in self-defence skills in case of attacks.
Meanwhile, a recent assessment shows that annual sexual incidences in the district have been reduced by 23.1 percent, a development attributed to the self-defence skills programme. n
