The allure and attractiveness of gold has led some families in central province to pull out their children from school to engage in gold mining.
Despite the introduction of the free education police by Government in all public schools across the country, residents of Luano District have opted to rope in their children in artisanal gold mining as they feel the power and opportunities of Gold far outweighs the long term value of the free education being provided.
Senior Chief Mboroma of Luano Valley of central province has revealed that there has been an increasing number of children who have stopped going to school because their parents or guardian are camping with them in the bush where they are searching for Gold.
Senior Chief Mboroma told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT in Ann exclusive interview that over 30 cases have been recorded of families that have withdrawn their children from public schools and are now in search of Gold in his chiefdom. And this trend is growing and needs urgent actions.
When asked by ZBT why parents are withdrawing their children when there is free education, Chief Mboroma said, “The major challenge is that being in the remote areas, parents depend on the labour from their children to go and help them when they are mining gold in the field, so that they can be assisted.”
He stated that the chiefdom is however working hand in hand with the school managements and other relevant authorities to ensure that such parents are punished accordingly and bring children back to school.
“There are still some parents who are still having the challenge of bringing their children back to school. I had sent the retainers and the village headman and also the neighborhood watch into the community to give punishment to those parents who are not allowing their children to stay in school.” He revealed.
He said Parents are supposed to be in the forefront in supporting their children going to school adding that it is sad that they are letting them to go with them hence the need for parents to be punished. He told ZBT in an exclusive interview that simple punishments may include working at the palace (mubomba Chipuba), making bricks, and digging teacher toilets among others.
Senior Chief Mboroma has since appealed to government and non-governmental organisations to come up with sensitization programs for the community that will educate them about the importance of education and the need to prioritize education.
