Thu, 09 Mar 2017 12:24:59 +0000
By AARON CHIYANZO.
| CHIEF M’bang’ombe of Katete district in Eastern province has ordered the establishment of committees in all villages of his chiefdom to promote education against child marriages and look at family affairs. |
Speaking at the handover ceremony of three community schools by the Japanese government in Katete, Chief M’bang’ombe noted that many young girls in rural areas were subjected to early marriages at the expense of their education.
He warned his subjects that he did not want to hear of parents in his chiefdom forcing their young girls into marriage.
Chief M’bang’ombe explained that there were many problems in marriages that many young people would not understand and that was the reason why many marriages nowadays were ending up into a disaster.
He encouraged children to instead concentrate on getting an education so that they could better their lives, that of their children and also become citizens who contributed to the economic development of the country.
The chief ordered the establishment of committees in villages around his chiefdom that would look at the plight of young girls in all areas of their lives and also family affairs.
“Sinifuna kunvela ati alionse tate akwatilisa bana bake bakali bang’ono (I do not want to hear of any parent forcing their young girls into early marriages). So, I order the establishment of committees in all communities to look at the affairs of young girls and they will be reporting directly to me.
“Let us instead encourage these girls to concentrate on school so that they can better their lives and also look after you. There are many problems in marriages that young people might not understand,” he said.
And Chief M’bang’ombe stressed the need for children in rural areas to take advantage of the education that had been brought to their door steps and use it to transform their lives and the community.
He pointed out that an educated community would help eradicate poverty that he said had stricken many rural areas and called on parents to ensure that their children were enrolled into school.
Chief M’bang’ombe expressed happiness that many people in his chiefdom had responded to the call to education and that many children who failed to secure a place in the schools were often disappointed.
He, however, assured that the new schools would ensure that more children in the district attained an education and get a chance to excel up to university level.
Chief M’bang’ombe thanked the Japanese government for the three Community schools and that they should extend the gesture to other needy communities.
