By Tinei Tuhwe
THE Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has expressed concern over the alarming number of girls forced to drop out of school due to pregnancy while calling for tuition fees moratorium to protect girls’ education rights
To address this issue, ARTUZ is calling on the government for a waiver on all fees in the education sector, removing the financial barriers that keep children, especially girls, out of the classroom.
“Education is the birthright of every child, not a privilege reserved for the wealthy. If these burdensome fees are eliminated, there is hope that vulnerable girls will have the opportunity to learn, grow, and establish a path towards a brighter tomorrow,” said ARTUZ in a statement.
In the past year, 11 girls from Angwa Secondary School in Mbire District were compelled to leave school, thereby violating their right to education.
“This is a grave injustice. Poverty is driving girls into child marriage, and families are making the unthinkable choice to sacrifice the futures of their young girls. This violates their basic human rights, and we will not stand idly by,” said Artuz
ARTUZ observes that negative attitudes and stereotypes continue to hinder the successful implementation of the Education Act, which ensures that pregnant students and adolescent mothers have access to education without facing exclusion due to lack of tuition fees or pregnancy.
ARTUZ also highlighted the issue of corruption within the education sector, which has resulted in the misappropriation of public funds and the embezzlement of resources meant for education.
“Rooting out corruption in the education sector must be a top priority to protect the future of Zimbabwe and its people,” said ARTUZ.
“Investing in education is essential for developing the skilled workforce and informed citizenry needed to build sustainable economic growth and social progress.”
The teachers’ union has vowed to continue fighting for the rights of marginalized communities to access quality education, free from the shackles of poverty and child marriage.
“We will not rest until every child has access to a quality education. There will be no more broken dreams, no more stolen futures,” said the union.
A report titled ‘National Assessment on Adolescent Pregnancies in Zimbabwe’ released last year by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) noted that 97 percent of girls did not return to school after falling pregnant despite the new policy.
A large number of girls in Zimbabwe drop out of school due to pregnancies and do not return even after giving birth.
During the Covid-19 period, between 2020 and 2021, a total of 5 000 girls fell pregnant and 3 000 of those pregnancies were recorded in March alone, statistics from the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development show.
The UNFPA says 350 000 girls aged between 10 and 19 fell pregnant between 2019 and 2022.
Activists say the high prevalence of pregnancies among schoolgirls is also fueling child marriages as most girls are oblivious of other alternative than to get married after falling pregnant and bearing children.
