Mnangagwa Signs Law Allowing Pregnant Girls To Continue in School

By Nsunjo Erica

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed a law stopping government schools from expelling girls who get pregnant from continuing with their classes.

Prior to the amendments of the law, school authorities could expel a girl for falling pregnant but spare the boy responsible for the same pregnancy, which was seen as discriminatory against the girl child.

President Emmerson decided to draw a balance between the boy child and the girl child by signing a law that grants both pupils the right to continue with their studies after the pregnancy shortfall.

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said they fully support any measure meant to safeguard the interests and rights of the girl child. “One such provision is outlawing the exclusion of those that fall pregnant. This is what other societies have embraced and we fully support the provision,” said Ndlovu.

“The President has just signed the law and we will fully enforce the provisions for the furtherance of education in the country. We believe the Act is progressive legislation,” Sifiso Ndlovu said

“As ZIMTA, we fully participated in the crafting of that law. Most of what we raised has been included. We abhor the use of corporal punishment because it is an old-fashioned tool of instilling discipline,” he said.

Zimbabwe’s educationists didn’t differ from the interests of the new law amendments, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Cain Mathema said he was excited that the President had signed the new law.

In terms of the new law amendments, president Emmerson also said no pupil shall be excluded from school for non-payment of school fees.

The newly signed law also indicates that teachers are also no longer allowed to cane pupils, under amendments to the Education Act which became law on Saturday.

In terms of the Act, any disciplinary policy shall not permit any treatment which does not respect the human dignity of a pupil. School authorities are now required to draw up a disciplinary policy in accordance with standards set out in regulations prescribed by the minister.