Who said that pregnancy is the end of education to teen mothers? It is was not the end but a beginning of a new life adventure.
For what it looked like all was lost is not the case anymore. They can now manage to put a smile on their face. For a couple of days they have been on the receiving end. But now the gears are turning to even becoming more favorable to them.
The Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission have moved to curb teenage pregnancies and indiscipline in schools.
They are jointly working on a strategy to introduce guidance and counseling departments and strengthen existing ones in both primary and secondary schools beginning January next year.
The ministry is also working to ensure that pupils who gave birth during this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination report to secondary school in January.
Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed has issued a directive to education officials in all counties to track down the 2018 KCPE candidates who became mothers in the course of the year and make special arrangements for them to join Form One.
“I particularly wish to highlight the ‘re-entry policy’, which must guide school principals and head teachers to admit, accommodate and support returning students,” she said.
A big number of learners sat their exams in hospital this year after delivering during the exam period.
“We need to put in place measures to deal with such cases and guarantee education to all children,” Ms Mohamed said.
Meanwhile, TSC has directed schools to strengthen the guidance and counselling departments in both primary and secondary levels in a move aimed at dealing with the rising cases of indiscipline and teenage pregnancies.TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia said the increased cases of indiscipline are a result of poor parental guidance and lack of counseling.
The CS asked head teachers to enhance support services to help young mothers focus on learning and minimize disruptive practices.
A day after Education CS Amina Mohamed launched the Form One selection exercise, parents and managers of private schools are now celebrating what they term as 'equity being served between public and private schools'#KTNNewsCentre pic.twitter.com/dpnczFaGAG
— ktn (@KTNKenya) December 5, 2018
She also urged parents to take their responsibility seriously and talk to their children to ensure they do not engage in sexual relations at a tender age.
To address socio-cultural barriers to secondary education, she said her ministry will continue consultations with relevant government agencies to enforce the constitutional right to education.
“National administrative arms will work with county and sub-county education officials to ensure that no child is locked out of secondary education owing to factors removed from his or her ability to continue with learning,” she said.
Do you think this is a better idea that Amina Mohammed has proposed?