Maravi

Miss NRDC urges pupils to take up agricultural courses

Miss NRDC urges pupils to take up agricultural courses
By Allan Mulenga
Sat 07 May 2011, 04:01 CAT

NEWLY-crowned Miss NRDC has bemoaned the apathy female students have towards taking up agricultural courses in higher learning institutions. In an interview, Sibeso Inambao (left) says it was saddening to note that a number of female applicants in colleges and universities is far below that of male applicants.

"The ratios between female and male applicants at NRDC National Resources Development College are unfavourable, if not mistaken, it is 1 to 5. Generally, at this college male students in all the courses are more than female students," says the 20-year-old.

Sibeso, a first-year diploma in food and nutrition student, reveals that in her reign as Miss NRDC, she would embark on schools sensitisation campaigns to educate young people about the importance of pursuing agricultural careers.

"I have seen that after school, most school leavers would like to go to UNZA, Evelyn Hone College, and NIPA, and very few would like to come to NRDC. That´s why I will come up with programmes aimed at sensitising pupils in high school on the importance of taking up agricultural courses in institutions of learning," she says.

Sibeso urges young people to have an open mind in their choice of careers.
"After all, when you do agricultural courses, you do not have to wait for someone to employ you, but you employ yourself. It can even help in curbing the 'cancer' of youth unemployment prevailing in our country," she notes.

On her scooping the first-ever out-of- campus contest held last week at Lusaka´s Fahrenheit Pub and Grill, Sibeso says it was challenging.

"It feels good.. It is the first time I was participating in the beauty contest. Before, I never had an interest in modeling, but then I thought I had what it takes to be a model," she relates.
Sibeso attributes her success to discipline and hard work.

"It was challenging because all the ladies were equally good. Just like the theme of this year´s contest, I believe female students should participate in economic development through agricultural training in the country," she explains.

Sibeso advises upcoming models to prioritize education, saying that education is the key to a brighter future.

"They models should go to school first and do the modeling later. They models should put education on top of everything in life," she says.

Inspired by the former Miss Zambia 2005 Cynthia Kanema, Sibeso intends to contest for the next Miss Zambia beauty pageant.

The pageant notes that after completing her training she hopes to be a career woman and do modeling as part-time.

"If anything I intend to work in a hospital because I have the heart for the people, especially the sick and depressed ones," says Sibeso.

Born to Kazie Lwano (now late) and Mukumbuta Inambao, a clinical officer at Monze District Hospital, Sibeso is the first born in the family of three.

Labels: AGRICULTURE, MISS ELECTIONS

posted by MrK @ 5:06 AM