Formation of schools in farming areas impressed chief

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Formation of schools in farming areas impressed chief

Kalomo, July 12, ZANIS ——- Chief Sipatunyana of the Tonga speaking people of Kalomo district in Southern province says he is happy that commercial farmers have realized the importance of education for the children of their farm labourers.

The traditional leader said he is impressed to note that commercial farmers in his chiefdom have realized that children of their workers are not merely a ‘breed’ for their future workforce but potential individuals who could immensely contribute to national development.

In a speech read on his behalf by his representative, Tenson Sindowe, the traditional leader said it was gratifying that farmers have taken education for the minors as a priority in their operations other than regarding them (children) for granted as ‘breeds’ of their much needed labour force in the farmsteads.

The chief was speaking at a handover ceremony of a grade 1 to 9 school infrastructure constructed with the financial assistance of the surrounding white commercial farmers and African Revival, a Non-governmental organization working with the Ministry of Education in Maziba area of Mayoba ward yesterday.

The learning institution is built at a cost of K650,000 including 150 desks donated to it and caters for over 300 pupils and has also been named as African Revival basic school, the implementing
organization working closely with the education ministry in infrastructure development .

The school infrastructure consists of a one by five and one by two classroom blocks as well as five staff houses situated in the midst of Mr Brian Laing’s Deep South farm.

Meanwhile, Kalomo district Administrative Officer, Justus Phiri has reiterated his warning against parents who tend to take their children either for domestic chores or early marriages at the expense of taking them to school adding that doing so, was liable for prosecution.


And, receiving the school on behalf of government, Mr Phiri urged parents especially those in commercial farms not to look at their children as extra sources of labour or early marriages for their financial gains.

“Boys and girls are equal but if you keep your daughters to do domestic chores or take your sons to herd cattle or work in farmlands during the time they are suppose to go to school that is an offence, yes, they should work at the homes but the work should not collide with the time to go to school,” advised Mr Phiri.

And Kalomo District Education Board Chairperson, Peter Matubulani has also welcomed the mushrooming of private schools by commercials farmers in the district to enable children of their workers have access to education.

Earlier, a district child labour committee was formed under the auspices of HODI, a Non-governmental organization which operations in Kalomo and Choma districts to spearhead interventions of preventing children from working in commercial tobacco farms in the
two districts.

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