12 April 2022
Vimbayi Mahachi
The coronavirus pandemic brought with it a lot of challenges in our today society and Teenage pregnancies tops the list of being one of these predicaments.
Masking, sanitising, social distancing, lock downs, job losses, gender based violence and many other unforeseen dilemmas became the order of the day because of Covid-19.
The mining town of Zvishavane has recorded a jaw dropping percentage rate of school pregnancies during the just ended Covid-19 lockdown period with at least five schools getting an average of 20 pregnant girls each.
The statistics are from a report compiled for 2021 and 2022 lockdown periods.
The revelation is contained in an address to stakeholders by Zvishavane District AIDS Coordinator, Dennis Jaravani held at White Hospital nurse’s boardroom two weeks ago.
Jaravani revealed that Mabasa Secondary under Chief Masunda recorded the highest number of pregnancies with 23 dropping out of school.
The laws of Zimbabwe allows pregnant girls to go back to class in their state. Seemingly most of them do not go back, either they are afraid of being shunned by their peers or they have become misfits.
While this move by the government of Zimbabwe (to allow pregnant girls to go to class) may be noble on one hand, on the other it encourages the girl child to indulge in sexual activities with the notion of going back to school.
Back in Zvishavane, Dambudzo Secondary School under Chief Mapanzure sits at number two with 22 pregnant pupils.
Chivizina High school under Chief Mazvihwa had 20 girls and is number 3, number 4 is Chenhunguru Secondary School under Chief Masunda with 18 girls and on number 5 are two schools, Ngomeyebani Secondary School under Chief Masunda and Korogwe under Chief Mupakami which are both tied at 17 pregnancies.
Ranking number 7 is Rubweruchena under Chief Mazvihwa which had 16 pregnant pupils and Mandava High in Zvishavane Urban reported 14 pregnancies. Zvishavane High had the least with only 2 pupils getting pregnant.
A statement revealed from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education says there was a total of 231 teenager pregnancies in Zvishavane District and the majority are from rural schools.
“Teenage pregnancies is one of the key challenges we faced during the period under review and there is need to engage the Ministry of Education for a programme to avert such in future “, he said.
Zimbabwe National Network for People Living with HIV (ZNNPt) focal person Tracy Manjengwa said there is need to educate the girl child on pregnancies.
“Girls are having sex to prove to their partners that they love them. They are also having sex for material things. They should be taught that love is not all about sex “, she said.
Since the abolition of corporal punishment in schools, pupils’ behaviour has been wayward. The abolishment of the came from schools has rendered the teacher useless as students do as they please.
Currently, the Parliament of Zimbabwe is debating a motion to bring back corporal punishment. Maybe this will bring behavioral change in students.
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