Local authorities are concerned about the fact that some children in the municipality of Ganda, in Benguela, are leaving school for the countryside, generating a school dropout rate of around 23%. Despite these percentages, the municipal administrator, Francisco Prata, considers school performance this year to be positive, although there is still a long way to go before the end of the year.
The municipality of Ganda is also struggling with the problem of too few schools to remove children who study in places considered inappropriate by the authorities. In the municipality, the presence of students in places improvised by the Municipal Administration is notable due to the reduced number of classrooms to absorb them.
If, on the one hand, the administrator expresses concern about school dropouts, reaching a figure of 23 percent, on the other Francisco Prata signals that the construction of just over 200 classrooms to reverse the current scenario. In relation to school dropout, Francisco Prata lists, among other factors, the practice of agriculture by children, many of whom are forced by parents and guardians. In this regard, he states that his administration should, in the near future, sit at the same table with experts to look for the best formulas for resolving the problem, given that raising awareness among families appears to be one of the ways.
“Also the issue, sometimes, of where the children are. And one of the other (factors) is the absence of teachers. We have been seeing that there are teachers who show up very late or not at all. We are going to do very deep work so that this 23 percent can be reduced in any way,” she promises. As part of the municipality’s Infrastructure program for 2024, the construction of more than 200 classrooms is planned. However, unlike past scenarios, this time, the Government will refrain from building 7, 8, 9 classrooms, but will agree with the needs of each location.
In other words, if there are only children in three classrooms, then this is the number that will be raised, but always with the prospect of being able to evolve. “It will be a great benefit, to get children out of the places where they study, which often do not have these conditions. And, on the other hand, a good number of children who are outside the education system”, he highlights. According to findings from this newspaper, many schools are far from residential areas. Sources from the Provincial Education Office told this newspaper that, in many cases, administrators act without consulting specialists in the sector.
Some cases of school dropout – they maintain – should have already been overcome if schools were designed closer to the communities and cites as an example the case of Caimbambo, whose polytechnic, recently opened by the provincial governor of Benguela, is very far from the area of residence. In addition, there is also a school in Culango abandoned due to lack of students. “I think there should be more collaboration”, suggests the source, speaking anonymously.