By ESTHER NG’ANDU –
QUICK action by Ministry of Education and Kasama Municipal Council (KMC) mayor has saved a 14-year-old Grade Seven pupil from being married off in Kasama of Northern province.
Mayor Frederick Chisanga said he was saddened by the action exhibited by the girl’s parents to have their child married off, despite heightened campaigns around the country against early marriages.
Mr Chisanga warned that such acts would not be tolerated in the district.
He said in an interview yesterday that his office was alerted by a councillor who resided in the same area, where the wedding was supposed to take place.
“We are very saddened with such behaviour by the parents, I am told the mother refused, but the father is the one who was in the forefront. We are happy that the teenager was served by the area ward councillor, the Ministry of Education and myself,” he said.
He said he had since taken it upon himself to keep the child in his house and pledged to take care of all her requirements and take her back to school.
“I will sponsor her school, because we want to see children getting an education so that they don’t fall in such vices, which would just endanger their lives. I will visit the parents of the girl to find out why they decided to take up such a move which is very annoying,” he said.
He urged parents to value the importance of educating their children than pushing them into wedlock at tender ages.
“The Government is doing everything possible to make education a key to success for every child, but why should the parents frustrate such efforts,” he asked.