Educationist blames school for spike in divorce
By Barnabas Zulu
EDUCATIONIST Chester Mweenda says increasing levels of education and financial independence among women are among the factors contributing to the rising number of divorce cases in Zambia.
Mweenda said in a statement while education had empowered women economically, it had also changed family dynamics in ways that had contributed to marital breakdowns.
“Education is one of the causes of divorce in Zambia. Unlike in the olden days when most women were not educated and depended on their husbands financially, women today are more educated, more independent and have a stable income base, making them more likely to experience divorce,” he said.
Mweenda said in some homes where women earn more than their husbands, respect within the marriage could be affected especially for the husband.
“Women who earn more than their husbands mostly tend to lose respect for their husbands, yet men treasure respect,” he said.
Mweenda said lack of emotional and financial support from husbands can also weaken marriages.
“Lack of emotional and financial support diminishes women’s respect towards their husbands, and that can also lead to divorce,” Mweenda said.
He said educated women were more likely to leave unhappy marriages because they were financially capable of supporting themselves.
“Educated women find it easy to divorce their husbands because they have the means to leave bad marriages, unlike uneducated women who cannot take care of themselves but depend entirely on their husbands for survival,” Mweenda said.
He noted many educated women shouldered both professional and domestic responsibilities, which sometimes became too much for them.
“Educated women work full-time but still do housework while their husbands do nothing at home, making women feel burdened,” Mweenda said.
He, however, stressed that education should not be blamed entirely for divorce.
Mweenda urged Zambians to uphold cultural values that promoted mutual respect in marriage.
“Education is not bad. We should not forget our culture, norms and values we believe in as a country. Education should not be a tool for disrespecting husbands,” Mweenda said.
