17 primary schools girls drop out due to pregnancy

SEVENTEEN girls of Hamududu Primary School in Kabwe have dropped out of school due to pregnancy and early marriages.
School head teacher Metrody Bubala said the affected girls are in grades seven, eight and nine.

Ms Bubala told journalists on Tuesday that the school administration and the Parents Techers Association (PTA) are concerned about increasing cases of pregnancy and pupils dropping out school.
“This term we have lost 17 pupils and these pupils are from grade seven to nine.

“It’s because of poverty that the learners leave school and get married,” Ms Bubala said.
She also said some pupils cover a distance of 10 kilometres between their homes and school on a daily basis, and this is negatively affecting their studies.
some pupils at the school come from extremely vulnerable families and child-headed homes.
Ms Bubala urged Government to transform her institution into a boarding school.

She said this will enable authorities to closely monitor the pupils and to help them focus on their education.
Ms Bubala is also concerned that Hamududu Primary School, which has 12 teachers, only has four good houses but without running water.
“This school qualifies to be a boarding school and if this happens, it will help us address issues of pregnancies and early marriages and also prevent the dropping out of school by our pupils,” Ms Bubala said.
She said because of lack of accommodation and electricity, teachers are demotivated and end up leaving the school.