By Brian Longwe
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)- Student Christian Organisation of Malawi (SCOM) has cried foul over the persistent increase of school drop-out rate in the country.
The organisation has established that a handful number of boys and girls drop out from school every academic year despite enormous interventions that are being carried out by various stakeholders.
SCOM National Executive Committee Chairperson Felix Lumbe pointed out that there is a need for the country to fight hard in investing the youth in spiritual leadership development.
Lumbe blamed the existence of harmful cultural practices in some parts of the country which influence early pregnancies and child marriages.
He said such initiation ceremonies like Chinamwali, Kusasa fumbi and others, lead to abuse of children’s right to education as tender boys and girls are forced to leave school and concentrate on unplanned families.
“More social awareness campaigns have been conducted in schools and communities but have failed to cleanse the problem, that is why SCOM is intervening with leadership development and character transformation skills to equip young generation to be responsible enough for the future.” Lumbe said.
Echoing on this, SCOM General Secretary Patrick Kaudzu said the body has lined up several youthful activities that will among others, empower boys and girls to be agents of change, warn students against violence and vandalism in schools and sensitize them on how to guard their rights.
This year, SCOM has organised more than 40 Easter Conferences to be held over the weekend in various schools across the country with a theme of “Raising holistically transformed generation of leaders.”
