Debate: Should pregnant girls be allowed to stay in school? (They have a right to education)

Patrick Buchana When a debate in this very paper suggested that the distribution of condoms in schools was not such a bad idea, some people thought it was outrageous. But I believe in being safe – not sorry. There’s not a parent on this planet that wouldn’t be crushed if their child got pregnant or got someone pregnant, when still in school. I mean it’s hard enough having a baby out of wedlock even as an adult. But things happen. They will not always be what we planned or hoped for, but they do. So what do we do? We have to face the problem head on and work towards making the most of it. It is wrong to have sex as a minor, we all know that. But does it mean that when trouble comes they do not have a right to education anymore? Did she steal or kill someone, which makes her no longer fit to be around other people? Why don’t we address the real problem? Premarital sex. Are schools doing enough in their sex education classes? You can’t have one class every two weeks and expect kids to the dangers of pre-marital sex seriously. And if schools don’t emphasize this issue aggressively, why are they quick to expel students that get into this kind of trouble? If you think that condoms are such a bad idea, think of this; kids will have sex either way, it’s sad but true. But with condoms, they at least have a chance to make mistakes that will change their lives forever. And where are the boys in all this? A boy might get expelled from his current school for getting a girl pregnant but he can always find another school. Is it written on his forehead that he got a girl pregnant? The girl however, has to sit home for those nine months or so, and another extra three or four after birth. If she wants to keep studying, let her. I know this sounds mean but perhaps she can work as an example to other students (not that she deserves to) and perhaps that is when they will understand just how serious the matter is. It will be hard to walk around school with a belly but it will come to pass. They need to continue with their education. They made a mistake yes, but in the end, we all do. And if we were banished every time we did, there would be no one left around. We just need to take sex education seriously, embarrassing as it is to talk about. We need to sensitise this issue till it is all these kids can think about should they ever try to do something they shouldn’t be doing. Before any law is passed against girls being pregnant in school, the first law should be against premarital sex. patrick.buchana@newtimes.co.rw

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Debate: Should pregnant girls be allowed to stay in school? (They have a right to education)