By Prince J. Musa in Kenema
The campaign group, Leh We Learn, has partnered with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) to tackle the growing problem of teenage pregnancy in the eastern district of Kenema.
The organization engaged traditional authorities, local councils, tribal heads, civil society, security sector and the ministry of social welfare to map out strategies in preventing and protecting girls from teenage pregnancy and other sexual abuses. The engagement took place at Albertson Hotel in Kenema.
The Deputy Director of the MBSSE in Kenema, John Amara Swarray, said they are worried about the situation of girls in the district since schools have been closed.
He said: “The ministry of education is seriously troubled by the numbers of girls affected by teenage pregnancy because of Covid -19.”
A coordinator with Leh We Learn, John Magbity, said their figures show that from March to June this year, 150 girls in the district have been reported pregnant.
Girls in rural parts of Sierra Leone have been vulnerable to pregnancy, and the potential increases during whenever schools are closed, especially during emergencies. During the Ebola outbreak, Swarray said 18,000 girls across the country became pregnant.
“Out of the 18, 000 girls that were affected, only 14, 000 returned back to school at that time,” Swarray said.
How to deal with the girls who become pregnant became a divisive issue after the government banned them from attending schools, citing its psychological effect on their colleagues pupils, among others. That controversial policy was only recently reversed by the Bio administration, following sustained campaigned by civil society groups.
Assistant Director of Gender in the Basic Education Ministry, Ann Konneh, said: “we don’t want girls to be pregnant in high number as it happened during the Ebola era and gender equality will only be possible through education.”
She added: “We want to bring onboard all stakeholders in Kenema District and partners to come out with tangible measures to protect girls from becoming pregnant. Soon schools will resume and they need to go back to school to learn”.
Whiles educating stakeholders on their responsibilities to protect girls, Magbity said: “we are here to put strategies in place how to protect the girls not to fall victim of teenage pregnancy and sexual offences.”
Chairman, Conference of principles, Septimus Vandi, highlighted the importance of teachers in protecting girls from pregnancy.
“This has shown clearly that teachers been in class room with children help parents greatly to protect them,” Vandi said.
Whiles giving the commitment of teachers to supporting the initiative, Vandi also urged parents to also take responsibility and called for much more involvement of the schools in communities.
A representative of the Paramount Chief, Lansana Karjoueh, said: “This deliberation will be tabled to the Chairman, council of paramount chiefs in Kenema to convey urgent meeting for paramount chiefs to support this program.”
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