By Aliko Munde

Chitipa, May 6, Mana: Deputy Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Halima Daudi, has applauded Senior Chief Mwabulambya of Chitipa District for ensuring that 133 learners who drop out of school at Kasisi Primary School are back to the institution.

Daudi commended the Senior Chief’s effort on Thursday at Kasisi Primary School in the district, saying the traditional leader’s initiative is worth emulating.

“I had a chance to interact with some of the learners who have gone back to school and I have encouraged them to work hard in class for them to excel in their academic studies,” Daudi said.

She added that President Lazarus Chakwera is committed to ensuring that young people are in leadership positions, including ministerial, and in various sectors in the civil service.

Senior Chief Mwabulambya said it was disheartening to see half of the learners at the school dropping out of school.

‘It was so disappointing that some of dropouts were Standard One and Standard Two learners and, to sustain this achievement, I will lead my subjects in formulating bylaws as one ways of curbing this malpractice,” said Mwabulambya.

Head Teacher for Kasisi Primary School, Dominic Nkhata, said child neglect is one of the challenges that fuels the malpractice in the area.

“Most parents do not value education in this area. The school is surrounded by 18 villages but most of the people in these villages do not care about the welfare of their children,” Nkhata said.

Out of 133 learners who went back to school, 69 are girls in different classes and the school has an enrollment of 756 learners, with six teachers.