Over 700 girls have been identified from Chinsali district to benefit from the Keeping Girls in School (KGS) a component of Girls’ Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihood (GEWEL) programme.
Chinsali District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Pardon Tesho said the project which was just being implemented in only three districts namely Shiwang’andu, Mafinga and Isoka has since been rolled to Chinsali and Mpika districts.
Mr Tesho said the team is in Chinsali to identify girls who are eligible to be on the program adding that a total of 735 girls have since been identified.
He said the process is still ongoing and that those identified are from social cash transfer households.
“We are identifying girls from the social cash transfer households who are dropouts and are unable to pay school fees,” he said.
He added that those that left school and are willing to go back to school will also be identified and put on the scheme so that they can get back to school.
“We will see girls who have dropped out of school due to reasons to do with deprivation, child marriage and pregnancy go back to school here in Chinsali,” he said.
And Chinsali District Social welfare officer Iness Mulenga said the district has a total caseload of 9,147 households who are also targets of the Keeping Girls in School (KGS) program.