To stop girls dropping out of education, the authorities in southern Mozambique are to distribute 600,000 uniforms free of charge to 300,000 girls in their last years of primary school.

This would help reduce the direct cost of education for girls, especially the vulnerable, Oswaldo Petersburgo, the youth minister in the province of Maputo, said.

In addition, 26,000 bicycles would be given to girls starting at some secondary schools, he said.

The funds will come from a sex education programme, which has found that girls tend to leave school when they become sexually active.