By James Lokong Augustine –Torit
Director-General in Eastern Equatoria State Ministry of Education and Instruction, Gabriel Oliha, encourages all educationists to keep pregnant girls in schools.
He made the statement last Friday during a graduation ceremony of 25 beneficiaries at Torit Vocation Training Centre.
Oliha says, both pregnant and breastfeeding girls should be accorded equal opportunity and conducive environment for studies just like other fellow learners.
He cautions teachers not to expel pregnant girls from school as South Sudan education policy allows pregnant girls to be kept in school without any condition.
“Today we have even a law in education when you are pregnant you will not be chased away from the classes, even if you delivered still you remain in the class, there is no aim of saying that you are pregnant you go away or you delivered you go away, education does not allow that you have to continue with your studies, you remember the other people who sat some of them got delivered in the hospital but the examination was taken to them to go and sit so that they also compete it is not that they were already delivering they cannot sit no, what they have been doing is already in their minds that is why they managed even to sit the examinations in the hospital” Oliha stresses.
The director general encourages girls to work hard and equally compete with boys for gender equality in all sectors.
“We are encouraging you girls, ladies please take away this aim that men are monopolizing you, it is you, you come up compete together, there is nothing called this is a man, you are all equal human beings, you are created by God so nobody should say that you are like this”.
Meanwhile, Head teacher of Torit Secondary School, Valery Afara, confirms to Radio Emmanuel that his school is not discontinuing pregnant girls from studies, but support them where necessary.
He admits that though retaining pregnant and lactating girls in school is appropriate, the practice may influence more girls to become pregnant while in school.
Radio Emmanuel also talked to some citizens in Torit on their opinions in keeping pregnant and lactating mothers in schools
In 2020-2021, following COVID-19 pandemic that resulted to the shutdown of schools and other learning institutions, schools in Eastern Equatoria State registered a high number of pregnancies amongst school girls.