Govt. worries about school girls marrying foreign contractors

A senior education officer has expressed worry at the numbers of female pupils getting married to some Chinese road contractors in Mpika district of Muchinga province.

Ministry of Education chief standards officer Vengi Sinda disclosed that the trend of school going girls getting married to contractors has become rife in Muchinga province because of the construction works of new roads taking place.

Speaking during the official opening of the Campaign for Female Education (Camfed) annual general meeting in Lusaka today, Mr. Sinda said early marriages have contributed to girl children absconding from school.

He cited Muchinga and Northern provinces as regions that have recorded a high number of girl child absenteeism at grade seven.

Mr. Sinda has since recalled having visited a Chinese road construction camp along the Chama-Matumbo road where he found school going girls married to Chinese nationals.

He has since implored civil societies and nongovernmental organization (NGOs) to initiate programmes that will discourage girl children from getting married to foreign road contractors.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sinda has paid growing tribute to Camfed for supplementing government’s efforts in shaping the future of vulnerable young women in Zambia.

And speaking earlier, Camfed Co-Director for Zambia Regina Lialabi said the organization has continued making positive strides in its quest to empower the orphans and vulnerable young women.

Ms. Lialabi noted that the organisation was determined to ensure that vulnerable young women have access to quality education.