By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Keeping Girls in School (KGS) Initiative under the Ministry of General Education has procured COVID-19 preventive materials worth K2, 310, 090.00 to be distributed to KGS schools in 10 new implementing districts.
Gender and Communications Specialist George Sichimba said the move is aimed at supplementing the efforts of KGS Schools in ensuring that learners and staff are protected from contracting the COVID-19 following the re-opening of schools for some grades on 5th August, 2021.
Mr Sichimba said KGS Schools are schools that have enrolled girls who are sponsored by the Keeping Girls in School Initiative.
He said the Initiative is a second component of the Girls’ Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihood (GEWEL) Project supported by the World Bank.
Mr Sichimba said the GEWEL Project is being implemented in the two Ministries, namely, Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) and Ministry of General Education (MOGE) and it is coordinated by Ministry of Gender (MOG).
He said the first component is the Supporting Women’s Livelihoods Initiative being implemented in MCDSS.
Mr Sichimba said the GEWEL project focuses on increasing access to livelihood support for extremely poor rural women and access to secondary education for vulnerable girls in extremely poor households in selected districts.
The schools are in the following districts: Serenje, Mpongwe, Katete, Kawambwa, Rufunsa, Isoka, Zambezi, Luwingu, Pemba and Shangombo.
He has appealed to all beneficiary schools and pupils to use the materials for the intended purpose to supplement Government’s effort in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
KGS has therefore constituted teams to carry out the distribution of materials to beneficiary districts.
The COVID-19 preventive materials procured comprise 56,770 Face masks, 394 Infrared thermometers, 2220 Hand washing basins and 4710 x 5 litres containers.
A total of 394 KGS Schools in the 10 new KGS implementing districts with a combined total of 56,770 pupils which include non KGS sponsored girls would benefit from the materials.
