Over 1 500 drop out of secondary school in Mat Sou...

Over 1 500 drop out of secondary school in Mat South, says report

Zim Now Writer

The Department of Social Welfare says a total of 1 753 learners from secondary schools in Matabeleland South Province dropped out during the second quarter of the year.

Teenage pregnancies, a lack of interest in school, long distances to school, and financial challenges were among the major reasons why the learners dropped out of school.

Presenting a health and social services sub-committee second quarter report during the Matabeleland South Provincial Development Committee meeting on Monday, provincial social welfare officer, Criswell Nyakudya said:

“The province has made significant strides in achieving universal primary education, a key challenge remains in the access to quality, equitable and inclusive education across education levels.

“During the second quarter of the year, there has been an increase in access to education at the primary level due to the contribution of private players, especially at the ECD level.

“A gap still remains at the secondary level. The provincial enrolment during the second quarter went down by 3.1 percent.

“This means that 1 753 pupils dropped out of secondary school during the period under review,” he said.

Nyakudya said the province recorded an improvement in non-formal education as 5 369 pupils enrolled, surpassing the set target of 4 800.

He also said 3 577 pupils were enrolled in vocational training centres in the province.

Nyakudya added that over 100 children were placed under residential care during the second quarter.

“A total of 136 children were placed under residential care during the second quarter.

“This means that these children were removed from the communities where they were staying because they were not being properly taken care of, some were being ill-treated, abandoned or their guardians were no longer in a position to look after them.

“These children were then removed from society and placed in institutions,” Nyakudya said.