mbulelo smpofu
Nqobile Tshili, nqobile.tshili@chronicle.co.zw
THE Government is taking steps to ensure that girls who become pregnant while studying are not discriminated against or stigmatised.
This is part of a larger effort to prevent school dropouts resulting from pregnancy-related issues that have affected more than 4 500 students, mainly from rural areas.
Despite the Education Act of 2020 allowing pregnant learners to continue their studies, societal norms and uneven responses from schools have often led to their exclusion.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has now introduced Circular Number 18 of 2024, designed to protect the rights of teenage parents to access quality education.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Moses Mhike, confirmed that the circular, approved earlier this month, provides standard guidelines for schools and stakeholders to support pregnant learners and teenage parents.
“This circular seeks to strengthen compliance with the provisions of the Education Act on pregnancy. It provides standard guidelines on ensuring how teen parents may continue to have access to quality education without being discriminated against,” he said.
“The circular facilitates collaboration with relevant stakeholders such as line ministries, communities, schools, responsible authorities and parents in the support and management of teen parents.”
Mr Mhike noted that teenage pregnancies often lead to complications, some of which can be life-threatening, underlining the need for schools to adopt measures to protect affected learners.
Under the new guidelines, schools are prohibited from barring under-aged mothers from returning to school after giving birth. They are also required to treat both male and female teenage parents equitably.
Mr Mhike noted that unequal treatment has been a recurring issue, with under-aged mothers often blamed for their pregnancies, while under-aged fathers are allowed to continue their education uninterrupted.
He said the absence of clear guidelines has resulted in inconsistent practices. Some schools have asked under-aged mothers to transfer or join non-formal education systems, which disrupts their learning.
“The under-aged parents may be stigmatised, shamed and labelled resulting in dropping out. The absence of clear guidelines has resulted in inconsistent responses from schools. For example, some schools have been asking under-aged mothers to transfer from their schools while others prefer to have them in the non-formal education system,” said Mr Mhike.
The guidelines align with regional and international frameworks, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG Four advocates for inclusive and quality education for all, while SDG Five focuses on achieving gender equality in education.
“The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1999), the rights are similar to those of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. An additional important aspect is that African pupils are responsible to their families, society, the state and other legally recognised communities,” said Mr Mhike.
The Constitution, the Education Amendment Act of 2020, and policies such as the Gender Policy (2017) and the Zimbabwe School Health and Child’s Amendment Act (2023) also protect children’s right to education, regardless of circumstances such as pregnancy.
Mr Mhike said the country’s Constitution, which resulted in the promulgation of the Education Amendment Act of 2020 states that no child must be suspended, excluded or expelled from any school on the grounds of his or her nationality, race, colour, tribe, place of birth, ethnic or social origin, language, class, religious, belief, political affiliation, opinion, custom, culture, sex, gender, marital status age or pregnancy.
Schools are now required to establish child protection committees to address stigma, isolation and labelling of teenage parents. Provincial education directors will monitor compliance with the new regulations.
Guidance and counselling services will be mandatory, and schools must collaborate with the Ministry of Health and Child Care to provide prenatal, delivery and postnatal care services.
Mr Mhike said under-aged mothers will be included in school feeding programmes and provided with teaching materials during health breaks to help them catch up academically.
He said special examination arrangements will also be made for lactating mothers to ensure they can complete their studies.
Confidentiality is a key component of the guidelines, with schools required to protect the privacy of teenage parents and offer support during and after their maternity leave.
“For safeguarding of the pupil, the head will link with the probation officer and the parents or guardian of the under-aged mother in terms of their immediate need,” said Mr Mhike.
The circular also emphasises inter-ministerial collaboration, involving the Ministries of Health and Child Care, Social Welfare and the police, to address issues affecting teenage parents comprehensively. — @nqotshili
