adminbearing on Zimbabwe’s current economic landscape.
The greatest achievement so far is that of having a female Vice President and a woman for the post of Deputy Prime Minister.
While so much ground still needs to be covered in terms of levelling the economic playing field, so much ground has been covered in terms of emancipating the women folk.
The challenges that confront the economy today certainly require women and men to work in concert and we have seen this happening to a large extent.
Women have demonstrated that they have the ability to perform as well as their male counterparts or even better. Without being fanatical about it, Zimbabwe’s library is certainly pregnant with records of women who have made it in fields that were previously considered a no-go area for the fairer sex.
But a story on the deprivation of formal education for the girl child that appeared in Monday’s The Herald made very sad reading.
In this time and age we still have some girl children that have their hopes dashed just as they are beginning to realise what the world is about because they were born feminine.
I need to state that I am not a feminist in the strictest sense of the word but I have seen what women can achieve if given the chance.
It is therefore a sad day for our country to have children, be they male or female being deprived of their right to education.
What criteria is used in determining which of the two children, the boy or the girl should continue with education? Is this not a case of total ignorance on the part of the decision-maker?
This is an issue that seriously needs looking into.
The girl child of today is tomorrow’s Delta chief executive, Air Zimbabwe board chairperson, President of Zimbabwe; Finance Minister, one of the few actuaries, University Vice Chancellor, and some such positions that women now occupy and are still fighting to occupy in some instances.
Disadvantaging the girl child is detrimental to the country’s overall well-being. Women presently constitute 52 percent of the population and demographics would dictate that their well-being naturally has an effect on the nation’s overall well-being.
Families, communities and society in general cannot afford to shoot themselves in the foot by keeping the girl child out of school.
The country needs them and the world needs them. Premature withdrawal from school presents adverse challenges that may come back to haunt the county in one way or the other.
Our story quoted the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Dr Olivia Muchena saying some traditional practices and current economic hardships have seen girl children dropping out of school.
This is just not on. We know the economy has gone through a rough patch and there are many, particularly in the rural areas, that are yet to handle a US$10 note because their situation is tough.
We know some families have gone without decent meals for months even here in urban areas but to reach an extent where girls must drop out of school because of economic challenges is something that cannot be allowed to persist.
As Dr Muchena rightly put it: “Education is the most important gift in a girl’s life and girls should be given an equal opportunity to be what they want to be.
“We should give girls a chance to speak for themselves, equal participation in the family and community. That way we can ensure good leaders of tomorrow,” she said.
I must hasten to add that as the Minister responsible, she needs to spearhead a campaign that looks deeper into the issue and ensure the girl child has equal access to education.
We cannot just pay lip service to such a national disaster that needs to be tamed before it reaches irredeemable proportions.
Proper auditable strategies need to be put in place to undo the situation.
What is Zimbabwe’s current education policy in this regard. How much school fees is being charged in rural areas, what options are there.
Where are the big corporates? Can’t they offer scholarships in such circumstances?
Cant there be a special Government purse for girls and boys whose parents or guardians cannot genuinely afford to send their children to school?
Such diseases as HIV/Aids have largely affected the economically active segments of the population but something can be done about those children that are left stranded in such scenarios.
The story also talks of sanctions affecting the ability to send children to school. Of course indirectly it could be true but let not our present or future be centred around the constrictions of sanctions.
Something can be done with or without sanctions to ensure all children have access to education.
We could not get updated statistics but we wonder if the number of those that have dropped out of school are in their hundreds or thousands countrywide.
Whatever the figure, Zimbabwe has the wherewithal to overcome such challenges and ensure all children have access to education.
In areas where tradition demands that the girl child should leave school early to marry, serious awareness campaigns can be initiated to get the message home that the way of life in the era of hunters and gatherers is now way different with the way things are now.
Formal education, to a large extent, is important in moulding future leaders for this country.
Let’s not undo the good record of a vibrant education system that this country is renowned for.
Give the girl child a chance to shine and lets not take her future away from her. The adage that educate a girl and you educate a nation still holds water. Can the nation therefore, stand guided.
In God I trust!
Online Reporter