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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
SOME parents and guardians are reportedly refusing to let their pregnant children continue with their education despite the fact that the new regulations now allow them to remain in school.
Government in 2020 amended the Education Act which among other things bars schools from expelling pregnant girls. This is a positive development which unfortunately some communities are refusing to accept arguing that the pregnant pupils will “corrupt” other learners.
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the country has been recording an increase in teenage pregnancies which has also seen a rise in school drop-outs.
The worst affected communities are those where there are gold panning activities such as Ntabazinduna, in Matabeleland North province as most of the girls are impregnated by gold panners who lure them with cash.
Speaking during a National Aids Council (Nac) media tour in Ntabazinduna last Thursday, Nac Sister to Sister peer educator Miss Nozipho Primrose Dube said more is needed from parents in supporting pregnant children.
“The pregnant girls are supposed to remain in school but are dropping out because their parents are against this arguing that they are a bad influence to other pupils.
Some parents are saying they cannot look after the grandchildren when their mothers are at school. They are also saying by falling pregnant, the girls are grown ups who should run their own families,” said Miss Dube.
Mafanisa area in Umguza Councillor for Ward 4, Clr Mlungisi Dube said parents and guardians have not accepted that a child who falls pregnant can continue with her education.
“The community views falling pregnant while at school as shameful and embarrassing hence most parents do not support the idea of having a pregnant child remaining in school. The language being used here is that pregnant children are rotten apples that should be removed from the class before they spoil others,” said Clr Dube.
He said there are organisations that are willing to pay school fees for the pregnant children but the challenge is that most parents are against the idea of pregnant girls remaining in school.
“These girls are being discriminated as they are viewed as outcasts that have embarrassed their parents and communities,” said Clr Dube.
He said teenage pregnancy is prevalent in the community and some of the girls are actually victims of sexual abuse.
“What we observed is that there was a spike in teenage pregnancies during the lockdown when pupils were spending long hours at home as schools were closed. Many of the girls could be victims of sexual abuse hence the need to give these girls another chance,” said Clr Dube.
Mbelesini area, Umguza Ward 6 Councillor Cde Alexander Mkandla castigated parents who are against allowing pregnant girls to continue with their education.
“We have NGOs like Plan International, which are inviting pregnant girls or young mothers to go back to school but many are being denied the opportunity by selfish parents who want to be paid lobola.
We have a serious problem because these children are not benefiting from the Government policy allowing them to continue with their education.
It seems these parents who are against their pregnant children remaining in class do not appreciate that they are destroying their future,” said Clr Mkandla.
Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo said communities need to be educated on the importance of allowing their pregnant children to continue with their education.
He said when Government came up with the new policy, it had realised that expelling pregnant girls was punishing the girl twice.
“People need to understand that it is not just the girl child who is to blame but the boy who impregnates also. The perpetrators are walking scot-free and are impregnating more while the girls are being punished by being denied education.
The Government policy is that the girl must be given a second chance by being allowed to continue with her education. From experience and research, it has been found that most of the girls do better when they are given a second chance,” said Deputy Minister Moyo.
He said schools should come up with programmes to educate members of the community on the advantages and benefits of allowing pregnant girls to remain in school.
Deputy Minister Moyo said school authorities should engage community leaders such as village heads, chiefs, church leaders and councillors so that they assist them in explaining the Government policy on girls who fall pregnant while at school. — @nqotshili
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