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Learners in six selected provinces have been encouraged to immensely participate in the ongoing school competitions on ending child marriages that have been described as an empowerment tool and a weapon to eradicate the vice.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Director of Communications and Advocacy, Taungana Ndoro revealed that the stance was meant to retard premature marriages in the nation.
“This particular competition is aimed at raising awareness on the scourge of child marriages, the dangers, what children can do, and where they can go in cases of this nature. It is also meant to alert the children and stakeholders on constitutional provisions that protect them in relation to child marriages.
“All students are urged to take these competitions seriously as it gives them the chance to learn more about this issue. It’s not only about the few prizes that are going to be given, but the ultimate benefit is empowerment,” said Ndoro.
He expressed gratitude to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights for partnering with the Ministry of Education in raising awareness and empowering learners. The gesture will go a long way in bringing concrete solutions to the challenge of child marriages.
“We really want to pay tribute to the ZLHR for partnering with us in raising awareness on this problem. This will go a long way in moving toward eradicating the problem.
“The essay competition is one of the many avenues we are using to tackle the issue with others being the Community Outreach Fairs and we hope we could empower our children to fight to end child marriages,” added Ndoro.
The ministry is continuing to create a conducive environment for returnees (those who had fallen victim to child marriages and now want to come back to school) to feel free to enroll.
“The target is six provinces owing to financial constraints. We have deliberately omitted the two metropolitan provinces targeting provinces where the practice is rampant and where services related to this might not be readily available.
“We also want our learners to know that those who have been unfortunate to get into child marriages can still come back to school as is enshrined in our Education Amendment Act. We are working hard to create a conducive environment for the return of such learners,” he said.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights Communications Officer, Kumbirai Mafunda, confirmed the development and clarified the targeted provinces and the prizes to be won.
“Learners should submit their completed essays to their respective Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Offices between 23 and 28 September 2022. The targeted provinces are Matebeleland North and South, Midlands, as well as Mashonaland East, West, and Central.
“All learners in forms 1 up to 5 are allowed to participate with the winner taking home $US100,” said Mafunda.
According to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the competitions are limited to six provinces of the country owing to limited financial resources and the severity of child marriages in these provinces.