Konkola Copper Mines has handed an opportunity to 600 children for organized pre-school education to be trained as future leaders.

The children from the 26 pre-schools supported by the company in Nampundwe, 48 kilometres west of the capital Lusaka, have been provided with school uniforms in order to create a sense of pride in them. Most parents in rural communities struggle to provide uniforms for their children.

KCM supports 28 pre-school centres, two of which are modern early childhood learning centres. The company provides funding for full education and also provides three nutritious meals per day to 320 children in the day care centres in Chingola and Chililabombwe.

Acting Shibuyunji District Commissioner Joseph Kamana said at the handover of uniforms to the children in Nampundwe that the donation was valuable to the pupils and would encourage them to focus on their learning.

Mr Kamana said the Government sought to work with the private sector in order to promote universal primary education.

“The opening of these pre-schools will take us miles further by educating most especially the girl child. The Government is working tirelessly to end child marriages and early pregnancies which are as a result of high poverty levels especially in rural communities,” Mr Kamana said

Mr Kamana said Konkola Copper Mines was helping to achieve the basic requirement to educate children at early age as the first five years was the most important in the formative period of a child’s life.

KCM General Manager – Corporate Services Howard Chilundika said the company recognised the importance of giving back to the under-privileged in society especially in areas where it operates.

“It is our hope that with the provision of early childhood education and providing for the children’s needs will lead to an increase in the enrolment of pupils, especially for the girl child,” he said.

Mr Chilundika encouraged parents to take their children to school because education opened many doors in a child’s life.