FOREIGN Affairs and East African Cooperation Minister, Ambassador Liberata Mulamula has appealed to parents in the country to take a holistic approach to ensure that girls get equal education like boys.
Equally, she directed councils to construct dormitories for girl students in efforts to reduce the number of dropouts due to early pregnancies. Ambassador Mulamula made the appeal on Tuesday during a fund-raising at Bwanjai Ward in Missenyi District, Kagera Region, where she was the guest of honour.
“As part of the government’s commitment to continue boosting education, especially in rural areas, President Samia Suluhu Hassan recently allocated over 20bn/- to Kagera region for the construction of classrooms. Each of us has a duty to support the government in the implementation of the projects,”.
“In areas which faced acute shortage of dormitories, parents and wananchi should be mobilised to contribute money and building materials for such projects,” she said. Reading a report, the Bwanjai Ward Councillor, Mr Phocas Rwegasira informed the minister that residents in the area had unanimously decided to construct a girl’s dormitory at Bwanjai Secondary School, a project estimated to cost about 21.9m/- upon completion.
“Due to walking for a long distance, two girls recently dropped out due to early pregnancies,” he said. Minister Mulamula contributed 2m/- for the project, adding that teen pregnancies are due to unprotected and early sexual intercourse, which also exposes teenagers to other risks of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STDs) and other diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
“Prevention of teenagers from engaging in early intercourse at early stages is a very important intervention in preventing pregnancies. Education on sexuality, its impacts and uses of contraceptives should be provided in primary school at early grades. Programmes targeting attitudes and social norms that facilitate sexual activities among the youth should be encouraged,” she said.
Meanwhile, Minister Mulamula has urged Kagera residents and all Tanzanians to continue taking precautions and get the vaccination as a precaution against the Covid-19 pandemic. She assured people that the vaccinations were safe while at the same time boosting immunity and combating the development of severe infections across the country.
She denounced the few “prophets of doom” who spread unfounded rumours against the vaccinations, calling on the people to disregard them. Minister Mulamula appealed to the people to continue taking precautions against the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that vaccination is the greatest option.
She appealed to health experts, religious leaders and youths through their groups to raise awareness on the preventive measures. Similarly, she reminded people to be watchful against other ailments, including HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which are still claiming lives in the country.
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