Pregnant Students Advised to Stay Home During Exams – GES Exams Coordinator.
Stay home, when your pregnant – GES’ Exams Coordinator tells pregnant students.
According to him, the government’s re-entry policy, originally designed to support pregnant students and young mothers to remain in school, is now being misused and contributing to the problem it was meant to solve.
Speaking on News Digest on Dreamz FM on May 30, Mr. Adoctor argued that the policy, instead of serving as a safety net for pregnant girls, is now being viewed as a source of comfort and privilege, encouraging more girls to become pregnant while still in school.
“The policy was well-intended. It was to help girls who got pregnant to continue their education without being stigmatized or forced to drop out. But now, some students are deliberately getting pregnant to take advantage of the so-called benefits the policy provides,” he claimed.
He pointed out that some girls perceive pregnancy as a way to receive special attention, exemptions from school activities, or sympathy from teachers and peers. This perception, he noted, is gradually becoming widespread among pre-tertiary students and is influencing the behavior of others.
“There are cases where girls openly say that having a baby seems to come with certain advantages in school. They look at their peers who have children and say, ‘She’s getting attention, she's being treated differently, I want that too.’ This mindset is growing, and it’s dangerous,” Mr. Adoctor warned.
He stressed that rather than discouraging teenage pregnancy, the current form of the re-entry policy may inadvertently be promoting it. According to him, the educational system is now facing challenges in managing young mothers who are juggling the demands of parenting with academic work.
“It’s not easy for these girls. They are supposed to be in class, but some are stepping out to breastfeed or care for their babies. That’s not how education should be. It becomes very stressful and affects their focus,” he said. “That is why I strongly believe that pregnant students should stay home, take care of their babies, and only return to school when they are ready, preferably after weaning.”
Mr. Adoctor called for a critical review of the re-entry policy, suggesting a return to the previous system where pregnant students were asked to go home during pregnancy and allowed to return only after childbirth and full recovery. He acknowledged that his stance may not be popular but maintained that it is necessary to restore order and discipline in schools.
“I know some people won’t agree with me, but we have to speak the truth. We’ve created too much room for indiscipline in the name of being inclusive. Now, things are spiraling out of control. Our moral values are eroding, and we need to act quickly,” he stated.
His comments have sparked strong public reactions, with many calling for a national conversation on how best to address the growing problem of teenage pregnancy in schools without compromising girls’ right to education.
The re-entry policy was introduced to reduce school dropouts among adolescent mothers by giving them a second chance to complete their education. It aligns with efforts to promote gender equity in education. However, the recent concerns raised by Mr. Adoctor have brought to light some unintended consequences of the policy, raising questions about its implementation and effectiveness in its current form.
As teenage pregnancy continues to pose a significant challenge within the country’s educational landscape, many are now calling for reforms that will both uphold the rights of young mothers and maintain high moral and academic standards in schools.
Comments
Post a Comment