In 2023, more than 4,500 learners in Zimbabwe dropped out of school due to pregnancy, including at least 150 in primary school.
These alarming statistics were disclosed by Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Edgar Moyo during a parliamentary session on Wednesday, in response to questions from lawmakers.
In reply to Mashonaland West Proportional Representative MP Mutsa Murombedzi, who inquired about the government’s initiatives to address school dropouts, Minister Moyo said:
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The ministry collects and collates such data on an annual basis and it is recorded in our Education Management Information System report shared with all stakeholders.
Therefore, for the year ending December 2023, 4 557 girls dropped out of school due to pregnancy, the majority of these (3 942) being from rural schools.
134 girls dropped out of primary school as a result of pregnancy, meaning that the majority of dropouts were recorded in secondary schools.
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Minister Moyo said the Ministry has introduced several measures such as career guidance and counselling to arrest the scourge of school dropouts, especially among pregnant girls. He said:
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Through the Education Act, the ministry has also ensured that legal provisions are there to enable girls who fall pregnant to continue with their education.
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The Minister also said several measures have been instituted to protect girls from stigma when they return to school after giving birth. He said:
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On the issue of stigma, we have done a lot of awareness campaigns and also, we have done a lot of dissemination of information in encouraging all the girls who fall pregnant.
It is now their right to education, so they are supposed to go back to school. I do not think we have any challenges for students who have not been — perhaps (they) have received a lot of criticism from their peers for going back to school. So, precisely, quite a number of students have been accepted back and have gone back to school.
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Minister Moyo said according to the Education Amendment Act of 2020, girls should not drop out of school for the reason that they are pregnant. He said:
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After giving a normal birth, the girl is allowed back to school and that is according to the Constitution. So, we encourage those technical and vocational skills to be equipped for all students regardless of whether one has dropped out or not.
We carry out some fairs with our partners, where we see that provinces encourage girls who might have dropped out to go back to school.
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In 2023, more than 4,500 schoolchildren in Zimbabwe left school because they got pregnant, and 150 of them were in primary school. The Education Minister shared this information in a meeting with lawmakers. The government is trying to help pregnant girls stay in school by offering counseling and support. A new law says that girls should not stop going to school just because they are pregnant. The government is also working to stop teasing and make it easier for pregnant girls to return to school after having a baby.

Over 4,500 Zimbabwean Schoolchildren Fell Pregnant In 2023

About five hundred thousand (500 000) Zimbabwean children of school-going age are staying at home, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said.
In a statement to commemorate the International Day of Education, UNICEF country representative Tajudeen Oyewale said there is a need for collaborative efforts to find solutions to the challenges that are keeping children out of class. Said Oyewale:
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Only six children out of 10 aged three to five are enrolled in pre-primary education. An estimated half a million children of primary and lower secondary school age are out of school.
This data reminds us to continue to work together under the leadership of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to address the challenges that keep children out of school.
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Zimbabwe Teachers Association secretary-general Goodwill Taderera told <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200022338/500k-children-out-of-school-un">NewsDay</a> that there is a shortage of schools in the country and the Government is failing to release BEAM funds on time. He said:
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We are facing a lot of challenges as we speak and we don’t have adequate schools while the government would like to cater for the highly marginalised, particularly through the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) fund, it has not been able to pay BEAM for quite some time throughout 2023 and up to now.
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Taderera also said teachers are not motivated enough to discharge their duties effectively. He said:
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As we speak, teachers are crying foul because they’re getting something that doesn’t cover their day-to-day living needs.
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The UN General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as the International Day of Education to celebrate the role of education in peace and development.
This year’s commemorations were held under the theme “Learning for Lasting Peace”.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

500K Zimbabwean Children Out Of School - UNICEF

A total of 1 753 learners from Matabeleland South dropped out of secondary school during the second quarter of the year, an official from the Department of Social Welfare has said.
The drop-outs were attributed to teenage pregnancies, a lack of interest in school, long distances to school, and financial challenges, among others.
Presenting a health and social services sub-committee second quarter report during the Matabeleland South Provincial Development Committee meeting on Monday, provincial social welfare officer, <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/drop-out-in-schools-hits-matabeleland-south/">Criswell Nyakudya said</a>:
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The province has made significant strides in achieving universal primary education, a key challenge remains in the access to quality, equitable and inclusive education across education levels.
During the second quarter of the year, there has been an increase in access to education at the primary level due to the contribution of private players especially at the ECD level.
A gap still remains at the secondary level. The provincial enrolment during the second quarter went down by 3.1 percent.
This means that 1 753 pupils dropped out of secondary school during the period under review.
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Nyakudya said the province recorded an improvement in non-formal education as 5 369 pupils enrolled surpassing the set target of 4 800.
He also said 3 577 pupils were enrolled in vocational training centres in the province.
Nyakudya revealed that more than 100 children were placed under residential care during the second quarter. He said:
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A total of 136 children were placed under residential care during the second quarter.
This means that these children were removed from the communities where they were staying because they were not being properly taken care of, some were being ill-treated, abandoned or their guardians were no longer in a position to look after them.
These children were then removed from society and placed in institutions.
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More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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