….. _pays tribute to UNESCO, FDI over EUP programme_ …
Government says there is no more reason for any girl child to drop out of school completely due to Early and Unintended Pregnancies (EUP) in Itezhi-tezhi District, Southern Province.
Itezhi-tezhi District Education Board Secretary – DEBS Maureen Shipota- Mulendema said the Government’s Re-entry Policy, Free Education Policy and World Bank-funded Keeping Girls in Schools – KGS is enough for the girl child to continue with school after delivering.
She has since paid special tribute to UNESCO and Family Development Initiatives – FDI for rolling out a project dubbed ‘Let’s Talk Early and Unintended Pregnancies – EUP’ which encourages girl children to return to school.
“Just like any other district in Zambia, Itezhi-tezhi also has this problem where we have a lot of early pregnancies and marriages. The children that we have, explore a lot. As a result, they find themselves in bad vices forcing some to drop out of school while others may try to abort and in some cases, death occurs. They may have long-lasting problems like failing to conceive in future when the right time comes,” she said.
Ms Mulendema said education authorities in Itezhi-tezhi have been sensitising children through the Guidance and Counseling Department in Schools.
“Every school has a Guidance and Counseling Department to talk to the girls. Government has put in place several other initiatives. The Re-entry Policy has recognised that children get pregnant not because they are naughty but different problems like being raped or payment in kind after being helped. As the Ministry of Education, we want the children to understand that EUP is not the end of the world. They still have a chance to be who they want to be. The Policy allows girls who get pregnant to get back to school as they just go on leave and would continue from where they left. When a girl goes on leave, if the boy involved is also a pupil, he equally goes on leave so that they start at the same time. There are papers that we use for parents to consent that the girl child will get back to school after delivery. In the process, we have also found partners like FDI and UNESCO. These are helping us to sensitise the community. You do not just sensitise the girls but the community to develop a support system. The support system will help the community to be aware that the girl child has to come to school after delivery because it is not the end of the world. We also have another project called the Keeping Girls in Schools – KGS programme funded by the World Bank. It has helped a lot of girls who stopped school because of EUP or other reasons. They are now being paid for by KGS. Whatever they need is paid for such as boarding fees while the other things are paid through Social Cash Transfer where they are given a stipend to buy books, pens, bags, shoes and uniforms. Though it comes once a year, it is very helpful for them. Those that are not under KGS, can still get back to school because education is free,” she said.
The DEBS said children who are not able to buy books and shoes, get identified by the school to be assisted by Government through the money for orphans and vulnerable children.
“We are, therefore, advocating for girls to re-enter school once they have fallen out for one reason or another because there is a lot of concerted efforts to help the girls to get back to school,” she said.
Ms Mulendema said even those who got married early are getting back because they have seen the beauty of school.
“If married people can get back to school, what more our girls who have all the facilities that can help them? If they are orphans and vulnerable, they can still get back through KGS or the money that comes to school for orphans and vulnerable children. I, therefore, plead that the community should not keep the girl child away from school. It is not too late for anyone to be in school. We also have alternative modes of learning. If they do not want to re-enter through the normal way or because they do not have anyone to remain with their child, they can still attend class through alternative modes. We have open and distance learning, evening and afternoon classes,” she said.
