By Mercy Nsaliwa

Blantyre, Mana: National Registration Bureau (NRB) has registered over 600, 000 children under the age of 16 in the first pilot phase of mass child registration exercise that took place in Karonga, Lilongwe Rural East and Mwanza last year.

NRB Principal Secretary, Mphatso Sambo said the mass child registration will be done in the remaining districts by the end of November this year.

“The exercise is progressing well and we have registered beyond our target in the first phase that gives us high hope of reaching over the target in the second pilot phase which will start after the rainy season.

“We are working hard in hand with the Ministries of Education, Local Government and National Unity, so that the registration centres should be in schools for children to know the importance of this exercise easily,” he said.

Sambo added that they have so far trained chiefs, teachers, parents and guardians to know the significance of the exercise to children and also encourage them to register their children in the coming mass registration exercise.

Youth Net and Counselling (YONECO) Executive Director, Macbain Mkandawire described the exercise as important for easy identification of children, protecting their rights and also ensuring that they are not receiving any similar punishment with adults if they commit crimes.

“The Bureau should conduct different mass awareness and engage various people such as chiefs, faith leaders and church members so that many people should be aware about the importance of this exercise and register their children,” said Mkandawire.

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