Amnesty International has issued out a press release in which it states that “the prohibition on visibly pregnant girls attending mainstream schools and taking exams is hopelessly misguided and is doing nothing to address the root cause of Sierra Leone’s high teenage pregnancy rate…”
This statement follows the decision of the government of Sierra Leone in April 2015 to ban school girls who get pregnant from attending normal schools and taking public exams. Also the government established an alternative “bridging” education system that would allow pregnant girls from going to school in a different setting other than their former schools.
When Sabrina Mathani, West Africa Researcher for Amnesty International was addressing members of the press at the Brookfields Hotel in Freetown on Tuesday, she said despite this ban on pregnant girls, the rate of teenage pregnancy continues to increase.
She added that the ban contradicts the government’s policy on teenage pregnancy; goes against the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendation on children’s issues as well as the recommendations made by the United Nations Child Right Committee’s, following its review on the country.
It was also disclosed during the press conference that the government’s alternative learning policy was not adequately implemented. On that note Sabrina stressed the need for the government to increase access to family support units. She emphasized the inclusion of sex education in the school curriculum and the government’s need to put more resources on sex education. She also stressed that the government should strengthen the prosecutorial aspect on issues of sexual abuses involving girls.
The Executive Director of Amnesty International in Sierra Leone, Solomon Sogbandi said the issue of banning pregnant girls from school was a violation of their right to education adding that the said decision was not supported by research.
By Edna Smalle
Wednesday November 09, 2016
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