MINISTER ORDERS PREGNANT PUPILS BACK TO CLASS

MBABANE – The Minister of Education and Training Lady Mabuza has directed head teachers to recall all pupils who have not returned to school, including girls who have fallen pregnant. 

Mabuza said the ministry acknowledged that the closing of schools due to COVID-19 resulted in what she labelled as ‘unprecedented challenges to the education sector’ among which were early and unintended pregnancy, early child marriage and child labour.

 She said they were concerned as a ministry about the ‘unfortunate’ scenario as they had a mandate to promote and protect inclusive education as articulated in the National Education Sector Policy of 2018.

The policy promotes gender equality and strictly prohibits any discrimination, exclusion or restriction of any person from enjoying or exercising educational rights and fundamental freedoms of gender equality. 

“While the closure of schools is meant to control the spread of the virus, it remains true that the country risks realising negative repercussions in terms of social and economic development. It is for this reason that government has started a phased reopening of schools,” said the minister during a press conference held yesterday at the ministry’s offices. 

Mabuza went on to state that the current scenario of a high number of girls who had fallen pregnant stood to derail the country from realising the demographic dividend.

 Development 

She said the country needed women in the rebuilding of the economy and in leadership positions to positively contribute towards national development. 

“I humbly appeal to communities to support pregnant pupils as they pass though this phase in their lives. In particular, I would like to request their peers within the school setting to accept them and make them feel at home,” remarked the minister. 

She went on to appeal to the ‘pregnant child’, as she called them, to integrate herself within her school and to always keep their dreams alive. 

Mabuza was of the view that it required all parties to take their rightful positions to harden the demographic dividend.

She said government, teachers, pupils, including those who were pregnant and the community at large, had a role to play. 

“When a girl-child progresses through the school system and is able to complete her education, she can seek and keep better jobs, contribute more to her family, her nation and to global prosperity,” she said. 

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