USAID programme to boost girl’s school attendance

A USAID Friday press release noted that “more than half of Mozambican girls drop out of school by the fifth grade”. The new programme, it says, in coordination with the Mozambican Ministries of Education and Health, “addresses the main challenges girls face to stay in school by providing training and materials to educators and principals on crucial topics”.

“Known as USAID Advancing Girls’ Education (USAID AGE), the five-year programme will focus on communities with low female school enrollment in Nampula and Zambézia provinces”, the release adds. “It focuses training on literacy and numeracy, which incorporates important social and life skills topics, like menstrual hygiene management, nutrition, and prevention of violence, sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy.

Cited in the release, US Ambassador Peter Vrooman said “We are building on a long history of creating better access to quality education, particularly for young girls, because when girls receive an effective education, they become adults who have more economic opportunities, make healthier life choices and are more likely to actively participate in civic life.”

“The US Government”, he added, “continues to invest in tools that will offer better access to quality education, particularly for girls. Programs like USAID AGE reduce barriers that keep girls from reaching their full potential and promote the inclusive social and economic development of Mozambique.”

USAID has chosen a Mozambican civil society oganisation, CESC (Civil Society Capacity Building Centre) to implement the programme.

“In addition to supporting teachers and principals”, the release said, “the programme will work with parents, community members and religious leaders to establish youth clubs and other activities focused on empowering girls and promoting community involvement to ensure that girls have safe school environments and stay in school until graduation”.

USAID plans to invest 10.67 million dollars in this program over the next five years. It regards support for education as “a critical component of the broader U.S. Government assistance in Mozambique”.