THE recent Learner Pregnancy Summit in Bloemfontein, Free State has revealed that pupils aged between 10 and 14 are failing pregnant even before they get their periods.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) has noted Lejweleputswa, Mangaung and Thabo Mofutsanyane districts as having the highest rates of learner pregnancy in the province.
Union spokesman Bricks Moloi said: "We take this matter very seriously. We consider it as a pandemic because it impacts how the teachers perform their duties. We initiated this summit in partnership with the provincial Department of Education to seek an amicable solution which will protect our innocent girls. Currently, the province should account for 13,3% of pregnancies of children at early ages."
According to the Department of Health's national records for the year 2021/2022, some of the children are falling pregnant even before they get their periods.
Maipato Morake, Sadtu national negotiator, said it's alarming considering that there's also a serious challenge of underreported cases by schools on the Education Management Information System.
Department of Education HOD, Advocate Tshwarelo Malakoane, said: “We must extinguish not just the flames but the source of learner pregnancy in our schools. Through the commissions in this summit, we must produce a document that will provide pragmatic interventions with a clear plan of action on how to eliminate pregnancies in our schools."
Free State Education MEC Makalo Mohale emphasised how learner pregnancy is one of many reflections of the communities pupils are raised in.
Makalo said they need to instill an attitude of love for the people and culture.
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"We hope to find solutions on how to impede learner pregnancies that ultimately impact the future of this country. We agreed to equip our educators for better curriculum delivery in life orientation or life skills to entrench a deep understanding of reproductive health and safe sexual practices for both boy and girl learners," he said.
The department promised to provide additional curriculum support to pregnant pupils during and after their pregnancies with teaching and learning material as a way to facilitate distance learning and counteract dropout rates.
Sadtu has also proposed that every school should have a social worker, psychologist and nurse on site for psychosocial support to help affected pupils deal with the mental health challenges brought about by the stigma they face.
