By: Loise Shiimi
The Special Education Division in the Omusati region says it is concerned about the increase of pregnancies among school-going learners.
The division organised a stakeholders’ conference on the prevention of learner pregnancy on Monday.
Omusati director of education Aune Iiyambula said that while the annual figures for 2022 will only be available at the end of the year, consultations with learners from urban and rural areas
has given cause for concern.
“The majority of the learners are lacking parental care, children are left alone in their homes and they bring in their boyfriends as no one is around to question them at that time and some they don’t sleep in their houses anymore,” she told The Villager.
In 2017, learner pregnancy in Omusati region stood at 481, 513 for 2018, and 216 in 2019. According to Iiyambula, the unusually low number for that year was due to the fact that some schools didn’t submit their calculations.
She said the ministry noticed that only a few schools submitted their forms for learner pregnancy rate, clarifying that there was no decrease at all.
In 2020 learner pregnancy rate was at 474 and last year 2021 learner pregnancy rate increased to 762, the highest in the country.
Namibia recorded about 3 627 teenage pregnancies in 2020, of which, at the regional level, Omusati also topped.
The stakeholders’ conference was called to discuss the leading causes of learner pregnancy and the resolutions. They have encountered an increased rate of learner pregnancy compared to previous years.
The conference brought together school principals, traditional and local authorities members, school board members, learners, regional councillors, and parents.
Iiyambula said the ministry officials have realised that they need to speak to learners to give their opinions and give reasons for learner pregnancy.
“Some of the contributing factors to learner pregnancy stated at the conference by learners are lack of parental control, early unprotected sex, rape and poverty, peer pressure, “sugar daddy” relationships, lack of parental guidance, failure of parents to discuss sex with their children, alcohol abuse,” she said.
According to her, with the new curriculum, some learners improving their subjects for grade 11 are at risk of falling pregnant as they are only taught during holidays.
“And for the rest of the months, they might find themselves involved in some unnecessary relationships and the use of smartphones.”
Iiyambula said the resolutions from the conference were to reduce keeping children home alone without full parental control.
“For all, future conferences, traditional leaders, and pastors, that will be organised in the community, must at least tackle the issue of learner pregnancy and find out what parents need to consider to reduce the rate of learner pregnancy. And parents should show up to all school meetings.”
She said the issue must be taken seriously as it hinders learner education.
At the conference, education minister Anna Nghipondoka spoke about how they will tackle learner pregnancy with the help of all the stakeholders to find resolutions.
