By Elezo Libanda
Katima Mulilo, Aug. 8 -– Parents in the Zambezi region have called on the government to enact new legislation to combat teenage pregnancies in schools and household setups.
The parents believe the current law is no longer applicable to the situations teenagers find themselves in.
Preventive measures to reduce the number of pupils falling pregnant is critical for the education policy as the current legislation was only applicable when learners were only impregnated by fellow pupils.
The situation had now changed because currently a high number of pupils have been impregnated by people, not of their age. Statistics show that most of the pupils are impregnated by people older than their parents, and nothing is done to them because the current legislation doesn’t provide for that, says a parent who identified himself as Mubyana.
Most learners are abused by people of influence like village heads, business people and at times even politicians, but because those learners may be above 18 years old, nothing is done to the perpetrators.
“This is not good as they are destroying the future of these learners, let it be classified that whoever impregnates a leaner must face the law,” Mubyana added.
Statistics show that in 2021, 3 627 pupils fell pregnant in all 14 regions, while 514 fell pregnant in the Zambezi region. This was attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown which had resulted in nationwide school closures.
