CONSTRUCTION of new public secondary schools will now go in tandem with the building of girls' hostels all over the country.

The directive was issued on Friday by the Prime Minister, Mr Mizengo Pinda, shortly after inaugurating the newlybuilt hostel for girls worth over 36m/- at Ilela Secondary School in the newly-established Mlele District in Katavi Region.

The Premier has directed all Regional Commissioners in the country, to ensure that the construction of new public Secondary Schools goes in tandem with the building of hostels for girls in efforts to protect them from being made pregnant which ends up in their untimely termination of their studies.

The government contributed 30m/- for the construction while the people made a contribution of 6m/- to supplement the government efforts on this noble cause. Mr Pinda further urged parents and guardians to make sure that their children who are mainly girls put up in these hostels rather than renting rooms in private houses in the streets for their children.

"Parents and guardians, you should make sure that your children particularly girls are staying in this newly-built hostel. This is part of the government concerted efforts to ensure that children are safe and protected from being vulnerable to unwanted pregnancies which could hamper them to complete their studies," added the Premier.

Earlier, the acting Mlele District Executive Director, Mr Estominh Chang'ah, told the Premier that the construction of the hostel was part of the implementation of the Secondary School Development Programme that aims at improving schools' conditions so that the students stay and study in a friendly environment.

"This partnership between Wananchi and the District Council in the construction of the new hostel at this Ilule Secondary School is among the development fronts implemented, and can serve as a model for other secondary schools which are constructed in nearly all the wards in the country," added the DC.

According to DC the completion of the hostel at Ilule Secondary School have benefited 52 girls studying at the school who can now stay in the hostel instead of renting houses in the streets, which is a step forward in protecting girl students to pursue their studies successfully.