Inadequate bursaries in secondary schools in Ntchisi are preventing intelligent needy students from proceeding with their education in the district, The Nation has learnt.
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This came to light at Chafumbwa Primary School ground in Traditional Authority (T/A) Chikho in the district where Ntchisi Youth Organisation for Development (Noyd) launched a child protection awareness campaign.
Speaking at the event, Chafumbwa Primary School head teacher Peterson Liwonde said, previously, Action Aid Malawi used to help some needy students from the area through Kasakula Education Network (KEN), but its bursary activities phased out.
Said Liwonde: “I have tried, together with the head teacher of Kasakula Secondary School and the primary education adviser [PEA] for Chikho Teacher’s Development Centre, to knock on doors—including the district social welfare office’s—without success.
He said the reduction of bursary funding to the district by the National Aids Commission (NAC) has worsened the problem.
Bester Nkhosa, child protection worker in the Ministry of Gender,Children, Disability and Social Welfare working in T/A Chikho, said the problem has come because NAC reduced Ntchisi’s bursary funding from K9 million ($20 000) to K3 million ($6 667).
