Blantyre District Social Welfare Office has expressed concern over the increased number of girls dropping out from school due to poverty, early marriages, pregnancies and effects of natural disasters such as Tropical Cyclone Freddy, among others.

Assistant Social Welfare Officer Ireen Lakuzala said Blantyre registered 354 cases of girls dropping out of school during the first quarter of 2023 compared to 241 cases during the same period in 2022.

“In this very short period of time, our office never expected to record such a higher number,” Lakuzala said.

Lakuzala added that girls need more support and guidance from parents so that they remain in school since most of them indulge in inappropriate behaviors that force them out of school.

“Due to poverty, most parents are failing to provide school materials such as school fees and funds and as a result girls drop out of school to find basic needs which result into early marriages and pregnancies,” she added.

She said appealed to organizations to conduct sensitization and awareness campaigns to implement child protection and mobilize academic resources for the girls.

Blantyre District Education Manager Annitta Kaliu called for all parents to take full responsibility of their children to prevent them from dropping out of school.