Pregnant girls must come back to school - MEC

Children who finish Matric are more likely to be employed as adults and less likely to be caught up by crime

Girls who fell pregnant at school had to be encouraged to return and finish their education, Gauteng education MEC Barbara Creecy said in Johannesburg on Friday.

Children who stayed on course were more likely to be employed as adults, less likely to be caught up by crime and were healthier, she said at an education colloquium.

“We need to know what those of us in education can do about pupils falling pregnant,” she said.

“We know they they are not falling pregnant due to [a] lack of information. They know about the birds and the bees.” 

Educationists, academics and a number of civic organisations were at the meeting to discuss ways to stop children from dropping out of school before they finish Matric.

Creecy said the situation had vastly improved since 1994 but there were still too many pupils not completing their education.

Schoolgirl pregnancy was a major reason for not finishing school.   Other reasons included domestic responsibilities, boredom and repeated failure.