Keynote address by Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Mr Mhaule at the launch of the Learner Pregnancy Policy in Platinum Village Secondary School, Bojanala District

Programme Director;
Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dlom;
Deputy Minister of Social Development, Hon HI Bogopane-Zulu;
North West Education MEC, Hon Matsemela;
North West Health MEC, Hon Dr M Sambatha;
Executive Mayor of the Rustenburg Local Municipality, Cllr Sheila Mabale-Huma;
Ward Councilor, Cllr GS Mothlame;
UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Nardos Bekele-Thomas and Dr P Chagwedere;
Representatives from the Ministries of Justice, Police and Women, Youth & Persons with Disabilities;
Senior Government officials from various Government Departments;
Development Partners;
United Nations Family Heads of Agencies;
The SGB of the School;
Teacher Unions and School Governing Bodies Associations;
Civil Society Organizations;
Religious and Traditional Leaders;
Media representatives;
School Principal, SMT and Educators;
Parents;
Learners;

Sanibonani

It is a singular honor that I have been granted the opportunity to address you during this historic and long awaited moment for the Sector to Launch the much awaited National Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Schools. This morning Ladies and Gentlemen, I joined the Deputy Minister of Health Dr Dlomo in a March against illegal abortion and closer of illegal and unregistered centers. The March forms part of our integrated strategy with the Department of Health and other sister Departments.

As a country, we are disturbed by the high numbers of pregnancies reported among our adolescent girls and young women.  Recently we have heard the alarming numbers of deliveries in health facilities of +/- 132 000 among girls aged 10-19 years reported for the 2020/2021 financial year by Department of Health.  These numbers are very high and unacceptable as we are very cognisant of the many negative consequences of Early and Unintended Pregnancy (EUP) on the girl child in particular.

The Department of Education is particularly perturbed by these numbers, more so the girl child between the ages of 10-14 years.  The question is, “who is doing this to our children?”. We all know that in South Africa, the age of consent to sex is 16 years and sex with a minor constitute statutory rape. We therefore assert that most of the reported cases between 10 – 14 years constitute statutory rape. Thus it is quite worrying and concerning that we have children who are reported to have given birth from the age of 10 to 14 years, and we need to take drastic measures to protect our children and ensure the criminals who rape our children are brought to book.

It is against this background that in 2018, the Department developed the Protocols on the Reporting and Management of Sexual Abuse and Harassment in Schools.  These protocols outline clear steps that needs to be taken if a learner experience an incidence of abuse in or outside the school and how school should report the case to relevant authorities.  In the case that the perpetrator is an educator the or a school official the Protocols have clear guidance how these incidences should be dealt with, with a zero tolerance to such misconduct. As we launch our Learner Pregnancy Policy today, these Protocols are going to be critical in assisting us to address those pregnancies that are a result of sexual abuse and or rape.

The Sector further recognize the negative impact of EUP on the girl child’s physical and psychological health; disruption to schooling with the resultant school-drop out that is reported; and general wellbeing including socio-economic status as it results in a poverty trap for the girl child. Research shows that a third of girls who fall pregnant do not return to school for further education.

The journey to the development of this Policy began in 2016 when the then Guidelines to Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Schools, known as ‘The Measures’ were retracted by the Minister.  The Measures were deemed to temper with the right of the child to education through a provision for allowing absence from school up to two years post pregnancy to raise babies. The court then commissioned the Minister to develop a Policy that will protect all learners right to Basic Education as enshrined in the Constitution. Therefore, the journey to develop this Policy started with that tenant in mind, not only to prevent pregnancy but to ensure that in case a pregnancy happens the girl learner gets to be retained in school for as long as it is possible.

The Policy underwent rigorous consultations over the years including consultation with Sector Stakeholders, youth, State Attorneys and parliament structures.  In this regards, we are grateful to all our stakeholders who have been a significant part of the consultation and have provided valuable input to make this Policy a product we can all confidently implement knowing that it reflects all our voices.

Through this Policy, the Department is committing to a two-pronged mission, which is to reduce the incidence of learner pregnancy while protecting the right of those learners who might fall pregnant to continue with their schooling.  We are very much aware that schooling is a protective factor and it is critical that the girl child be retained in schools in case of a pregnancy to prevent multiple pregnancies that may follow should she drop-out.  Research indicates that for girls who have dropped out of school they are more likely to experience repeat pregnancies.

Programme Director, our main strength is in the provision of education, hence through this Policy we reiterate that to prevent EUP the Department will continue to strengthen the provision of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) through the curriculum.  CSE provides learners with information, knowledge and skills to make informed choices with regard to their sexual reproductive health and reduce risky taking behavior thus choose healthy lifestyles.  In addition, the Policy seeks to link learners to sexual reproductive health services (SRHS), care counselling and support.  To ensure access and linkages to services we will need to partner with out sister Departments of Health and Social Development as well as Civil Society and development partners.

The policy will address the following:

• An enabling environment that supports all learners and prevents discrimination and stigmatisation of pregnant learners;
• Prevention of learner pregnancy through access to comprehensive pregnancy prevention information and SRH services. The policy commits the Department to strengthening access to CSE for learners which will equip them with knowledge, skills and values, promote health-seeking behaviours as well as ensure access to SRH services for access to combination prevention methods.
• Care, counselling and support: Learners who fall pregnant will be referred for care, counselling and support. The Department will use the Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP) to ensure that learners are supported, while working with other partners including community-based organisations.
• Impact mitigation: Schools are encouraged to enhance their efforts, within reasonable limits, to ensure that learners are retained in school. In the event of pregnancy, they must ensure that learners continue to receive academic support during any absences and that they are encouraged to return to school post-delivery.
• Policy management and coordination: The Department will endeavour to maintain sustainable management structures, at all levels, to plan and implement the provisions of the policy and monitor and report on their progress. Review of the policy is recommended to be undertaken every five years to ensure continued relevance.

As we launch this ‘National Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Schools’ today, we call upon all our stakeholders and partners to join hands with us in addressing EUP. We understand the complexity of this challenge and that for us to succeed in the prevention of EUP among learners we need a multi-sectoral approach.  We also call on community members and parents to join hands with the DBE so as to make sure we realise the main goal of this Policy which is to reduce incidence of EUP.

Let us also not forget the role of boys, young and older men in EUP. Girls do not make themselves pregnant, thus it is key that as we journey towards the implementation of this Policy we also take our boys, young and older men along. We need to make sure that our boys, young and older men are encouraged to play their part in prevention of EUP. We need to engage them so that they can also take responsibility and make healthy choices by delaying sexual debut and not engaging in unprotected sexual activity and not force sexual activity upon girls.

As we launch the Policy it is also exciting to share with you that we already have developed an implementation plan which we will be finalized with Provinces to ensure that the Policy is implemented as intended.  This Policy will ensure that efforts to prevent learner pregnancy are intensified; no learner is expelled from school in case of a pregnancy; as well as assist in supporting girls to continue with their education in case they fall pregnant.

Thank you for gracing our launch we hope that you will journey with us as we enhance and accelerate our efforts to ensure our girl children are supported to pursue and complete their schooling career.

Ngiyabonga.

Source: Government of South Africa