Save girls from exam stress
Class Eight candidates from St Peter's Girls Boarding Primary School in Elburgon, Nakuru County celebrate after finishing their KCPE exams on March 9, 2022.
During national examinations — the ongoing KCSE and recently concluding KCPE — there have been many reports of pregnant girls as candidates. That is unacceptable. Why pressure pregnant learners to deliver to sit exams at school or hospital? And, clearly, most of these are defilement cases as the girls are underage.
Despite the commendable return-to-school policy by the Ministry of Education, which allows expectant adolescent and teenage girls to stay in or go back to school after delivery, more must be done to stem the trend. They are still in a state of trauma due to the sexual violence that they went through.
Unexpected pregnancy changes the trajectory of a girl’s life, with long-lasting physical, socioeconomic and psychological ramifications. The high rate of unplanned pregnancy can be reduced by equipping our children with age- and need-appropriate Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE).
Defilement
Most of these cases are a result of defilement and rape for minors and adults alike. We have had many cases of heavily pregnant girls having difficulties in the exam room as they attempt to sit their exams.
Talking about sex should not be taboo; it would not necessarily encourage promiscuity among young people. Sexuality education is not only about sexual activity but also social and health issues. In fact, CSE greatly encourages abstinence.
But it also recognises that human sexuality is a perfectly natural part of life and, therefore, seeks to give students the knowledge, attitude, skills and values to make appropriate and healthy choices about their sexuality and lifestyle to avoid unplanned and unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, among other consequences.
The ministries of Health and Education and the local administration should together ensure safety of all adolescents first and then prepare supplementary exams for the learners as soon as they regain their good health and also fully operationalise the return to school policy indiscriminately.
Mr Mwangi is a sexual and reproductive health and rights youth advocate. @alvinmwangi254
