Giving birth is every girl’s natural right but the timing matters. In Africa, a girl is expected to only get pregnant when she’s married – educated or not. This practice, according to elders, discourages defilement and cohabiting and also allows the girl to first complete her studies.

But as we all know, as the world grows rapidly, so do beliefs and realities. People these days can get pregnant (deliberately or by mistake) or not at any age as studies have shown.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in its 2013 report, established that 7.3 million girls below the age of 18 get pregnant worldwide.  

A Demographic and Health Survey by International Children Fund (ICF) 2010, indicates that 6% of girls in Rwanda aged between 15 and 19 are either pregnant or single mothers looking after babies. 

Studies further indicate that pregnancy and child birth are now the leading cause of death in developing countries for girls between 15 and 19 years of age. Over 70,000 girls succumb to death resulting from pregnancy-related causes.

Pregnancy in school

Recently 26 girls were suspended from a Christian university in Uganda for engaging in sexual activities that culminated into their pregnancies. Being a Christian university, policy suggests that unmarried girls who get pregnant either marry their ‘tormenters’ or be suspended.

The move to send away the students from school attracted a lot of condemnation from the media, civil society, women activists and the public but the university administration was not about to change what it believes is right.

And such cases are not unique to Uganda alone. 

Olivier Sebatware, the executive secretary of Rwamagana, Muhazi sector, says: "We had cases of girls getting pregnant in schools in 2011 up to 2013. Several cases were recorded in GS Nsinda last year but currently there are no new cases in that school.”

A number of teachers who preferred anonymity also admitted that there are many such cases in the country but the way they are handled is what differs from the university above. 

Interventions and policies 

"When these cases arise, as authorities, we visit the families of the victims and analyse their socio-economic status. There are generally two levels of family classification — level 1 and 2 of Ududehe. 

Those in level one are extremely poor while those in level two are of medium economic standing. For the poor families, we provide milk for the baby after delivery but don’t intervene much if the child is from a well off family,” Sebatware says, adding that they do not suspend pregnant students. 

Domitile Mukitaritamu, a teacher at Lycee Notre dame de Citeaux, says they had a similar case in the past and let the girl do her exams.

"Although a pregnant girl may not be the best example to other students, we normally empathise with her because we are parents and allow her continue with her studies,” Mukitaritamu says.

Winnie Namisango, an English teacher, explains that the timing also determines how to help the pregnant student. 

"There is obviously confusion after conception. The biggest decision is whether to stay at school with the pregnancy or first take a break until you deliver. For instance if a candidate is due in a few days to the national exams, it is hard to take off many days,” says Namisango. 

She, however, says because pregnant girls tend to be stigmatized by their classmates, the school usually finds psychologists or counsellors to help them remain strong and focused.

Fortunately, unlike many countries where a culprit might easily go scot free, those in the habit of impregnating underage girls in Rwanda don’t get off the hook so easily.   

"We identify those responsible for the pregnancy as well as the age of the father and act. In 2011, we arrested and sentenced a culprit to 25 years in a correctional facility,” states Sebatware.

"A head teacher was at one time also accused of impregnating a student but investigations indicated that he was innocent and he was set free.” 

Who takes the blame?

Girls are attracted to all sorts of   things during various stages of development. The fancy phone that may not easily be afforded by a parent is nothing to worry about as the sugar daddy is itching for such an opportunity.

"Motor cycle riders also take advantage of these girls. They give them free rides and provide them with a lot of these petty items,” says Joelle Magali, a biology teacher at Lycee Notre dame de Citeaux. 

"The student will not know the implications of engaging in such an ‘exchange programme’ in the short-term but will later realise the demerits of her behavior when trouble knocks.” 

Namisango adds that parent-child relationships need to improve to reduce unwanted pregnancies in schools. 

"Some parents barely have time for their children. They would rather spend most of their time in a bar or chasing deals. Imagine a situation where a parent always returns home when the child is asleep and there is no time for interaction? This gap means when a child experiences sexual changes, they will fear to share them with their mother or father which is catastrophic,” Namisango explains. 

"As a teacher you will try to help these students by talking to them about what to expect and how to behave during class but the fifty minutes you have for a lesson cannot allow you to go into many details.  That’s why I think parents have a much bigger role to play in their children’s lives,” she adds.

Ignorance was also cited as one of the causes of student pregnancies.  

Mukitaritamu, says when some girls especially in rural schools experience menstrual cramps, they are misadvised by boys to engage in sexual activities in order to be relieved of the pain.

But Emmanuel Abishunji explains why these girls can still be gullible in this age of communication.

"Inadequate sexual information regarding teenage pregnancies has led to the skyrocketing number of cases. Despite government efforts to curb down the numbers, most parents feel uncomfortable discussing issues of sexuality with their children. They think reproductive matters should be left to the school,” says Abishunji.

However, Edwardo Uhagaze, the director of studies at Lycee Notre dame de Citeaux, blames the students for the mess. 

"Most girls who end up being impregnated behave in a way that entices the men to exploit them. They also share a lot of wrong information with their peers which sometimes forces them to engage in such elusive behavior,” Uhagaze says.

Studies have also revealed that many girls become pregnant without their will. Some are defiled, raped or misled by their peers and relatives hence becoming pregnant. Rwanda Police statistics indicate that there were 1,682 defilement cases registered.

However, Jennifer Kato, an English teacher, blames it on poor use of contraceptives by the students. 

Effect of pregnancy on performance 

Namisango says pregnancy will definitely have a toll on the student’s concentration. 

"In most cases, these girls sleep through the lessons while their classmates concentrate. They also tend to urinate a lot, develop swollen legs and nausea. Such a student cannot easily compete with one who has less worries,” Namisango notes.

In conclusion, much as pregnancy is not a bad thing, students should continue to be discouraged from conceiving at an early age because of the risk of losing their life while giving birth or even before, dropping out of school and getting infected with sexually transmitted diseases. 

Teachers, parents and government can work together to reduce the number of pregnancies in schools.

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VIEWS ON DEALING WITH PREGNANCIES IN SCHOOL

Edward Uhagaze, director of studies at Lycee Notre dame de Citeaux These students are a bad example to their classmates and it would not be a good idea to let them stay in school. Keeping them around sends a bad message to the other students. It is better to suspend the student until she gives birth and is ready to come back to school to study.

Angel Mukeshimana, student of Groupe Scolaire RugandoWe make mistakes as students sometimes because we are naive but once someone gets pregnant, for whatever reasons, they should first leave school until they have a settled mind.

Divine Gatesi, student at Group Scolaire Rugando A pregnant student is likely to lose focus due the changes in her body that make her feel weak and sickly all the time. And because they are still young and are not psychologically and physically ready to carry the pregnancy, it makes the situation more complicated for her.

Regis Mugisha, student at Groupe Scolaire RugandoThe stigma at school cannot let a pregnant student concentrate because students will be calling her all sorts of embarassing names. It is better for her to get a break and only return to school later.

Josette Magali, teacher at Lycee Notre dame de CiteauxThey are not safe at school because they need special care from the food to the way they should be handled which many schools may not be able to give to them. Schools are mainly preoccupied with how to attain academic excellence.