Manicaland provincial education director is compiling a report over the high numbers of school going girls who have dropped out of exam classes during the Covid-19 lockdown period mainly due to marriage and pregnancy.
PED, Edward Shumba told 263Chat in an exclusive interview that the state of affairs in the education sector is subject to an internal review process, which will culminate in a report to the Ministry of Education.
He said recent comments attributed to him, that at least 450 girls had dropped out of exam classes, were taken out of context as the numbers are yet to be confirmed by submissions from the schools.
Shumba also stressed that even if the girls dropped out of school but had registered for examinations, they would still be allowed to sit for exams like other students.
“Those were comments taken out of context, I did not mention any statistics but rather refused to confirm as we are yet to receive a full picture of what is happening on the ground. We are carrying a fact finding exercise at the moment to ascertain numbers.
“Once we are done with our enquiries we will draft a report and submit to the Permanent Secretary who can the share the consolidated findings,” he said.
Shumba said there was need to verify reports as some are mere allegations, while urging for intensifying guidance and counselling in schools across the province to stem the emerging moral decadence in the sector.
“We all want to enhance guidance and counselling where these things are happening.
“What is worrying also is we see this sexual play of students, we don’t know whether it’s current or what, but we are sending out teams to verify these incidents when reported to us.
“We also have reports that teachers are forcing parents to pay extra tuition directly to them, we have also dispatched teams to investigate this, but it turns out it’s those teachers who are on incapacitation falsifying allegations against those attending,” he said.
A snap survey also reveals that while numbers are yet to be drawn up the trend of school going girls marrying off during the Covid 19 lockdown is wide spread across the province, particularly in resource rich communities.
In Penhalonga, Mutasa district the influx of artisanal miners has seen a lot of young girls falling prey to the allure of money, with scores impregnated according to Penhalonga Residents Trust chairperson Weston Makoni.
“A lot of young girls some as young as 13 have been married off here, some were still in school and waiting to write their exams,” he said.
However, provincial development officer in the Ministry of Women’s Affairs Munyaradzi Rubaya, says schools are still obliged to accommodate the girls to ensure their continued learning under the amended education policy.
He says despite their circumstances the young girls can still sit for exams, as he called for the school environment to be accommodative to the returning girls to ensure that they participate with others.
“Since the education policy was amended to allow pregnant girls to continue attending schools, we are encouraging education institutions especially secondary schools to accommodate these girls and create and environment which is conducive for their continued learning, because in most cases, these girls are stigmatized,” he said.
According to the Primary and Secondary Education Ministry, in 2018, 12.5 percent of 57,500 school dropouts were due to pregnancy or marriage reasons countrywide. In 2019, 7000 girls dropped out of school due to pregnancy countrywide.
