Children in the school going age are absconding classes in some areas that were affected by floods in Chikwawa due to lack of textbooks, pencils and other school necessities.

This was revealed when YFM Online visited some of the camps in Chikwawa where parents expressed fears that children may drop out of school.

In an interaction with one of the parents at M’dala Camp, Patricia Kachiya, she said her children are not attending classes because uniforms and school materials were washed away by floods and she has no money to buy school items.

“It was more important to preserve my children’s lives rather than school materials,” Kachiya said.

“My children want to attend classes but how will they attend classes without uniform let alone textbooks.”

Kachiya it was more important to preserve lives of her children than school materials.

Children at Chikokoto camp nonetheless are attending classes but they do not have extra clothes to look presentable.

Chikokoto camp chairperson told this website that parents are doing piece work to buy textbooks for their children so that they should not miss out on school.

He, however, stressed that this is not enough and more materials are needed for children who are not attending classes.