Gold mining giant Acacia Goldmine Bulyanhulu (AGB) has offered to sponsor 40 students who exceled in Science and Mathematics in several secondary schools in Kahama District.
The promise was made for students from Bulyanhulu, Bugarama, Ntobo, Kishimba and Nyashimbi secondary schools all in the district.
Speaking over the weekend the AGB communications officer, Mary Lupamba, said the firm has decided to pay school fees for the 40 students, mostly girls, so as to encourage others to like science subjects.
She said the company would continue to support education in the area in order to ensure that many young people join secondary schools and avoid drug abuse as well as child pregnancies.
She said the AGB would continue to cooperate with the local community in the fight against child pregnancies which deny girls their right to education.
Speaking during the handing over of school equipment to Bugalama and Buyange primary schools, Lupamba called on parents and guardians marrying off school girls to stop doing so. Instead, she told them, they should give girls the opportunity to go to school since they do so only to get dowry.
For his part, the Acting Kahama District Administrative Secretary, Julius Chagama, called on the community to cooperate with the government and other stakeholders in the fight against child marriage.
He called on local leaders to ensure that parents and guardians marrying off school children are arrested and prosecuted.
Earlier, Acting Msalala District Council Executive Director, Zabron Donge, said incidents of child pregnancies in the area had increased. He said this resulted in many girls dropping out of school.
He said various strategies have been evolved by the government and other stakeholders to ensure that the law on the child is observed fully and those violating it are dealt with.
Students benefiting from the sponsorship commended the goldmine and promised to study hard.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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