Keep hair short, Joyce Nonde-Simukoko prods Zambian girls
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By Derrick Sinjela
PARENTS are spoiling children with cosmetics, laments Labour and Social Security Minister, Ms. Joyce Nonde-Simukoko during a Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) sensitization breakfast meeting on Saturday 1st April 2017 in Lusaka hosted by Nyumba Yanga Secondary School Head Teacher, Tiku Msoni Banda.
Flanked by Provincial Education Office (PEO) Representative, Senior Education Standards Officer, Ms. Rose Siziya, District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Ms. Priscilla Lydia Chulu-Mwanzah, UNESCO Country Representative, Joyce Saili and Parent Teachers Association (PTA) Representative, Fabien Mambwe, Ms. Nonde-Simukoko argued that girls spend more time and money on looking good.
A straight-talking Ms. Simukoko implored parents and guardians to desist from encouraging children to wear make-up and expensive hair as such ornaments distract pupils and students from concentrating on school work.
Lusaka District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Ms. Priscilla Lydia Chulu-Mwanzah says parents and communities remain key in Comprehensive Sexuality Education, as burden of care is on their collective shoulders.
And a parent, Ms. Annie Syulikwa conceded that parents and guardians are increasing letting television and the internet guide children, thus imparting wrong interests and perceptions among young people.
“We are not taking interest in our children’s welfare. I suppose it is time we took heed of this caution by Ms. Nonde Simukoko discouraging cosmetics among learners,” said Ms. Syulikwa, an accountant by profession.
Ms. Syulikwa concurred with Ms. Nonde Simukoko’s remarks that Zambia’s have a poor reading culture, which continues to hamper dissemination of correct information of cross cutting development.