Maravi

(NYASATIMES) Free secondary school education for poor children

Free secondary school education for poor children
David Mkwambisi
23 January, 2009 06:27:00

This article is for His Excellency Dr Bingu wa Munthalika, the President of the Republic of Malawi. Firstly, I do appreciate that this is not the very right platform to address such a respected and reputable office. I do also appreciate that His Excellency has more important issues on his menu for the sake of Malawi. In particular am aware of his great vision that has seen Malawi moving into the right direction within his tenure as the President.

However, as a Minister responsible for education, as well as development oriented President, I have been compelled to stand here to bring to his attention some of the problems that children of Malawi are facing. My point of view Your Excellency is how we can make secondary school education accessible to poor children.

I have just completed a study that was looking at problems faced by children in Malawi. Fortunately, this study coincided with the standard 8 selection for places in Form 1 in all government secondary schools across the country.


Your Excellency, at every district I visited, the District Social Welfare Office was extremely busy processing bursaries for needy students. Unfortunately, not all the students selected have been given the bursaries, some have been reject and are not going to access secondary education. In actual fact, every year since we received our independence, several children from poor families especially in rural areas have failed to access secondary education because of fees.

Your Excellency, I think this policy could be removed for the sake of meeting critical development indicators. Your Excellency, children who are selected at Std 8 level are intelligent and deserves special recognition from the government.


The implications of denying children to access secondary school are many. For example, most children fail to work hard in class because they are quite aware that no one will provide support for secondary school education. Their sisters or brothers who were selected have never proceeded and are either married or go into prostitutions to raise money. Statistics in many districts Your Excellency shows that girls have no hope in their future because no one can support their secondary education.


Secondly, failing to educate the nation to secondary school level is promoting child labour and child trafficking. Intelligent boys and girls who were once selected to secondary school are now abused in several areas within and outside the country. If these children were given the opportunity to access secondary education, some of the problems we face as a nation could have not been there.


Thirdly, parents have been in the fore front discouraging their children to go to school because they are quite aware that no one will support them when selected. As such young girls have been forced to get married to older people sometimes; they have been chased from homes for failing to obey their parents. Girls as young as 14, are now mothers without any support. This could promote the spread of HIV and other health related implications that can have an impact on national resources.


Fourthly, by denying poor children to access secondary education, it means denying the population timely information on several development issues. Secondary education is a critical window where children realise the importance of environment conservation, health and sanitation, security and become more knowledgeable on business approaches, agricultural practices among others. This is where extension messages on sustainable development start. If we fail to bring information to a village level by denying our children to access middle education, how can we meet the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy Goals?


The fifth implication is that failing to provide scholarships to these children, has an implication on the teaching staff. There is no need for teachers to continuously helping a student whom they know will not proceed beyond grade 8 due to lack of support. For example, In Mangochi, I failed to interview both the headmaster and his assistant because they went out to seek financial support for one of their student selected to Lisumbwi Secondary School. If teachers will be involved in such activities, who will be responsible for teaching and administration?


The sixth implication is the suffering of guardians especially older people. At all the district centres where bursaries are being processed, most of the students were being escorted by their grand parents. This shows that most of these children have more problems even at household level rather than just the education support. As such, educating these children is empowering the nation at the same time relieving pressure from older people.


The last but not least implication is the pressure given to the District Social Welfare Offices. Most of these offices tend to lack both technical and financial resources. On average they, receive K40, 000.00 in a month and it has two officers at most. How can these officers Your Excellency be able to manage all issues affecting Malawian children? Problems include child labour, child trafficking, physical abuse, rape, witchcraft, lack of accommodation, repatriation, lack of food among others.


Finally, I would like to bring to your attention Sir that a number of Malawians have suffered in their life because they were denied the opportunity to access secondary school education. Most of policies that tend to suffocate poor children are rarely discussed in our development discourse.

It is my sincere hope Your Excellency, through your Ministry, children that have been selected this year will access secondary education free. In particular, I have the whole hope because I have seen several development indicators during your period of serving this nation.

*The author, PhD holder is a lecture at Bunda College, University of Malawi.

Labels: EDUCATION

posted by MrK @ 8:13 AM