Maranatha Academy Secondary Schools Managing Director Ernest Kaonga has offered Duwana Muhammad a fresh start after the 16-year-old became the only girl to sit the Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education examination at Mangale Primary School in Mangochi.
Duwana sat the examinations alongside seven boys after her female classmates dropped out before the national examinations, with early marriage, teenage pregnancy, poverty and other challenges cited among the factors contributing to girls leaving school.
Speaking to MBC Digital, Kaonga said Duwana’s circumstances demonstrated the challenges faced by many girls in accessing and completing their education.
He said failing an examination should not define a child’s future and that Duwana deserved another opportunity to pursue her education.
“I understand the many challenges this girl goes through, being the only girl in a class of boys. We cannot simply look away. Even though she did not pass her examinations, she deserves the chance to access quality education. We believe in giving second chances,” Kaonga said.
Maranatha Girls Academy will provide Duwana with academic support, mentorship, counselling and boarding facilities.
The school had previously offered Duwana a full scholarship, together with a K500,000 termly pocket allowance, after her story attracted national attention.
Duwana’s story has highlighted the persistent barriers facing girls in parts of Mangochi, where many leave school because of early marriages, pregnancy, poverty and long distances to school.
Kaonga said he hoped Duwana’s journey would inspire other girls to remain in school and encourage communities to support girls’ education.
“I have faith that if this girl is given all the necessary support, she can become a role model in her community, where many girls get married before they reach the appropriate age,” he said.
Duwana’s determination has already attracted praise from education authorities and the wider community, with her story being cited as an example of resilience in the face of challenges that force many girls out of school.
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