Chief Chamuka Urges Government To Create Scholarships For Pregnant Girls

Chief Chamuka of the Lenje people in Central Province, has appealed to the government to consider reviewing the re-entry policy that allows pupils who fall pregnant to return to school.

During an UNDP organised tour of the Chamuka One Stop Centre, the traditional leader proposed that the government set up a scholarship program alongside the re-entry policy to assist girls who are re-admitted back into school after falling pregnant.

The Chief has highlighted the challenges these young girls face particularly which he suggests stem from a lack of funding, and is a possible reason as to why many pregnant girls fail to fully integrate back into the community.

“There must be a scholarship support component attached to the re-entry policy, so that the girls who get back to school should be supported with learning materials,” he said.

Chief Chamuka revealed that so far 45 girls have been re-admitted into school under the re-entry policy in his chiefdom.

“We have taken back to school more than 45 from the time I started fighting the vice of early child marriage,” he said.

The traditional leader disclosed that only 56 cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) have been recorded in his chiefdom from the time the One Stop Centre was launched in May this year. One-Stop Centres, which are placed around the country, provide survivors of GBV with care such as psychosocial support, referrals to shelters, legal services, and HIV testing.

Meanwhile UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Roland Seri pledged the institution’s continued support towards the village led anti-GBV centre.

Mr Seri said it is important that the fight against GBV continues to be tackled head on in the chiefdom.

19-year-old Mervis Ngolofwana thanked the government for the One Stop Centre which she said has been supportive in helping her to get back to school after falling pregnant last year.