Online Reporter
Stephen Mpofu, Perspective
THE girl child in Matabeleland South province remains trapped under a dark cloud — one that must be dispelled without further delay or unnecessary dithering. This situation is developmentally counter-revolutionary in a country governed democratically, with a vision that leaves no one and no place behind.
A report published in this paper on Tuesday revealed that over 100 female learners from Matabeleland South dropped out of school during the second quarter of this year, with teenage pregnancies cited as the leading cause.
This development suggests that, without adequate educational qualifications and job skills, these dropouts are likely to engage in informal, vulnerable employment — a sector that does not meaningfully contribute to the Government’s national economic development programmes. For instance, such individuals cannot be easily integrated into the formal tax base, which is essential for funding national policies.
Moreover, many parents working in the informal sector struggle to raise sufficient funds to support higher education or provide their children with critical developmental skills — further hindering national economic growth.
The scale of female student dropouts is such that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is no longer handling the matter alone. The Government has stepped in, involving local and traditional leaders under the well-known mantra: “It takes a village to raise a child,” according to a ministry spokesperson.
It is hoped that a lasting solution to the challenges faced by the girl child in Matabeleland South will also serve as a deterrent to similar issues in other provinces — particularly if legal measures are taken against those who jeopardise the futures of young girls by promoting child marriages for personal gain.
derick.khumalo