By JULIUS PHIRI –
MORE than 69 school girls in the Eastern Province have fallen pregnant in this year’s first term alone.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Chileshe Mulenga disclosed this when he addressed hundreds of school pupils who participated in a solidarity campaign towards ‘BRING BACK THE GIRLS’ for the more than 200 girls abducted by Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Dr Mulenga said in Chipata yesterday that the number of girls falling pregnant in the province was worrying.
“I saw a very sad report which showed that more than 69 girls in the region fell pregnant this term alone. We don’t want to see those sad developments anymore,” he said.
Dr Mulenga said development of Zambia required girls and boys to concentrate on education and that any disturbance among pupils retarded development.
He said it was because the Zambian Government valued girl-child education that they have joined the campaign to demand for the release of the girls who were being held hostage in Nigeria by the Boko Haram group.
Earlier, Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) regional coordinator Dorothy Ndhlovu appealed to the Government of Nigeria to take necessary measures to ensure the immediate release and safe return of the girls to their families and communities.
“Ensure that all the girls and their families are provided with adequate psycho-socio counselling support when rescued to help them cope with the trauma they have suffered,” Ms Ndhlovu said.
She said what happened in Nigeria was a wake-up call for Zambians and that the Zambian Government to enhance the protection of the children.