By SYLVESTER MWALE –

WHEN the Zambian Government introduced the re-entry policy in 1997, the aim was to ensure that girls who fell pregnant while at school could go back and complete their education.

This was in response to the apparent limited opportunities by the girl child who had been forced to drop out of school the moment they became pregnant.

To the contrary, the male child enjoyed unfettered freedom and managed to complete his education even after impregnating someone.

Although the policy remains enforce 17 years after being implemented, there is a growing concern that it has not served its objectives.

The number of female pupils dropping out of schools because of pregnancies are still high, while those that are re-entering after breast feeding is too small.

For instance, figures from the Ministry of Education indicate that the number of girls that are falling pregnant have increased from 3,663 in 2002 to more than 17,600 this year.

The Forum for Women Educationists (FAWE) was compelled to investigate the effectiveness of school re-entry policies for adolescent mothers in six Southern African countries including Zambia in 2012 as part of its efforts to improve life opportunities for young girls.

FAWE’s research has shown that teenage girls continue to drop out of school due to pregnancy, with many of them failing to return to school after childbirth.

This was probably authenticated by FAWE’s subsidiary in Zambia. The Forum for Women Educationists of Zambia (FAWEZA) recently estimated that up to 15,000 school girls fall pregnant every year in the country.

Unfortunately, FAWEZA noted that the number of teenage mothers benefiting from the school re-entry policy is low. This is because girls who fell pregnant outside marriage are mostly forced into marriage, curtailing their education.

• There is need for more sensitisation to ensure that every parent is aware about this policy so that more and more female pupils go back to school after delivering.

The Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health says 17,600 female pupils fell pregnant in 2013 alone.

As if that is not bad enough, only 6,000 of that figure managed to return to school after delivering their babies.

“This confirms that a lot of adolescents are indulging themselves in sexual activities,” said Community Development, Mother and Child Development Deputy Minister Ingrid Mphande.

“Many adolescents face peer pressure to engage into alcohol and sexual relationships at an early age. This has resulted into unwanted pregnancies and infections such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV and AIDS.”

According to the Ministry of Education, only 4,692 girls were re-admitted into schools after delivering their babies out of 12,370 that had fallen pregnant in 2008.

Similarly, 5,517 went back to school after breastfeeding their babies out of 13,634 female pupils that were impregnated in 2009.

A pregnancy on the girl child has a great deal of negativity in two fold. As well as curtailing her education, she is also forced to sacrifice her childhood because of going into marriage at a tender age.

The Sunday Times took time to talk to various individuals on what should be done to reduce pregnancies among female pupils as well as ensure that those who fall victims return to school after delivering.

“It is a dicey issue that is not straightforward as some people would believe,” said Mathias Malembeka, a teacher in Chipata district.

“I have seen many pupils getting pregnancy but I don’t remember seeing many coming back to continue with education after delivering.”

Mr Malembeka said the re-entry policy has not made any significant contribution in bringing back teenage mothers to school, hence the need to review the policy.

Agness Mwanza has a child who was impregnated in grade nine. Although she encouraged her child to return to school after delivering the baby, she opted for marriage.

“It was very difficult for me because she was brilliant at school,”

said Ms Mwanza. “But the moment she got pregnant everything changed to the extent that she did not like school anymore.”

Ms Mwanza said the Government had done well to introduce the school re-entry policy but added that there was a degree of abuse among teenagers.

“There are some children that no longer care what happens to them.

They engage themselves in sexual relationships on the premise that they will still go back to school even if they are pregnant,” she said.

But while many children have been enmeshed in shame and stigma after getting pregnant, others have resolved to soldier on and complete their education.

“I became pregnant when I was in grade 10 and I thought it was not wise for me stop my education so I decided to return when my baby was six months,” said Elizabeth Pondani (not her real name).

“I have learnt from my mistakes which came because of the peer pressure, and I believe that many of my friends can learn from me.

Although many are ashamed to do what I have done, I strongly feel education is important.”

Education experts feel that the policy was well intended although the social and cultural norms have played a significant role in shaping the minds of those who fell pregnant.

“The policy was introduced to regulate the wastage of girls because the government realised that many female pupils who fell pregnant were forced to sit at home,” said Ferdinand Chipindi, a lecturer at the University of Zambia (UNZA).

“But there have been social and cultural norms where for instance, the girls are called by their baby’s names rather than theirs, which makes them uncomfortable and would therefore opt to sit at home or go into marriage.”

Mr Chipindi said there was need to ensure that the re-entry policy considered the social and cultural norms associated with adult education in order to make it more effective and achieve its objectives.

The Ministry of Education notes that although the re-entry policy has seen a low number of female pupils getting back into schools after breastfeeding, it has achieved its objectives.

“In a nutshell, we can say as a Ministry that we are happy, the policy has achieved its objectives,” said Ministry spokesperson, Hilary Chipango.

“But we realise that there is need for more sensitisation to ensure that every parent is aware about this policy so that more and more female pupils go back to school after delivering.”

Mr Chipango noted that the re-entry policy had offered an opportunity to the girl child to ensure that pregnancy was not a barrier to her progress in education.

It is indisputable that Zambia’s school re-entry policy was well intended especially in a Zambian society which has been characterised by inequality among men and women.

However, it is hardly exaggeration of truth to state that the policy has not fully achieved its objectives in the 17 years that it has been in existence.

The media is currently awash with reports of teenage pregnancies as well as early marriages while the number of those that are returning

to school after giving birth is not encouraging.

It is therefore hoped that apart from raising awareness about the existence of the policy, a review could be done to address emerging

issues in the implementation of the policy like social and cultural norms.