The exponential rise in the scourge of teenage pregnancy continues to be a clear and present danger which can only exacerbate other socio-economic challenges facing the country.
The department of basic education recently reported to the parliamentary portfolio committee on basic education that in the first quarter of 2021, 1,053 girls between the ages of 10 and 14 fell pregnant while 35,209 teenagers between 15 and 19 also fell pregnant.
By all accounts, this is a crisis that needs urgent intervention. Such a state of affairs can only signal a downward spiral in values as a society and nation. Parents send their offspring to school for them to acquire knowledge, skills and values that will increase their chances of success in adult life and falling pregnant at a young age may more often than not, put paid to these noble intentions.
This is because most of these children are likely to end up dropping out of school, thus swelling the ranks of the unemployed further and becoming child grant recipients.
In turn, this adds an unwelcome burden on the national kitty which does not advance our development as a nation. It is granted that some of the girls fell pregnant as a result of being raped, which would require that parents, schools and the police work in collaboration to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and punished.
Furthermore in SA, the age of consent to have sex is 16 in terms of the Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Act, which would constitute statutory rape where legal action has to be taken against the perpetrators. What should be emphasised is that learner pregnancy can never be celebrated, condoned or accepted, but only tolerated and shunned upon.
If truth be told, teenage pregnancy is neither new nor unheard of. The difference is that in the past, learner pregnancy used to be frowned upon and regarded as taboo. The ramifications for girls who fell pregnant were more stringent than what currently prevails.
The stigma was more pronounced, which to some extent served as a deterrent to this aberration. The normal practice would be for the girl to wait for the delivery of the baby before the resumption of their studies. In some instances, this meant repeating a grade the following year thus losing out on a full year of schooling. These days, pregnant girls attend school until they literally give birth in some cases.
According to the department of basic education DDG Granville Whittle, the department had many policies to assist with the issue of teenage pregnancy. He highlighted comprehensive sexual education (CSE) that was age-appropriate, which would advocate delayed sexual gratification by the learners. The DDG indicated that the policy on the prevention and management of learner pregnancy in schools had been taken to parliament for approval. The aims of the policy are said to include:
- Creating an enabling environment that supports all pupils and prevents discrimination and stigmatisation of pregnant learners;
- Prevention of pupil pregnancy through access to comprehensive pregnancy prevention information, and sexual and reproductive health services; and
- Offering care, counselling and support to pupils who fall pregnant through the Integrated Health Programme, in collaboration with other partners.
It is well and good that the department seeks to embark on programmes that aim to minimise and ultimately eliminate instances of pupil pregnancies. The emphasis on the importance and advantages of delayed sexual gratification are also commendable. The risk of sexually transmitted infections should also be stressed not as a scare tactic but a preventative life skill. The pupils themselves need to acknowledge that falling pregnant while still at school is not something to look forward to or to be proud of.
Beside it being a disappointment to the parents, it also gives rise to the inopportune scenario of bringing an unplanned baby into the world. A vicious circle will result where these unplanned and oftentimes unwanted babies will grow up under less-than-ideal circumstances and turn out for the worst.
The country will emerge poorer for it as babies need nurturing that will engender trust feelings and ensure a smooth passage to balanced personalities. School-based programmes for sexuality education should help pupils to exercise responsibility in sexual relationships. This can be through abstinence, contraceptive use and maintaining sexual health.
The struggle against this scourge can be won if teenage pregnancy is declared a national emergency where it would be expected that parents, teachers, government and other key stakeholders must work collectively to protect children from negative influences that may saddle them with responsibilities they cannot handle with their dreams for the future shattered.
It is the future of our nation at stake here and we dare not fail.
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