In a bid to tackle the rising rates of teenage pregnancy, the Basic Education Committee is calling for collaborative efforts and public engagement.
THE challenge of teenage pregnancy and statutory rape will be the focus of the Basic Education Portfolio Committee this year.
This is according to basic education committee chairperson, Joy Maimela, when she briefed journalist during the weekly committee cluster media briefing in Parliament on Thursday.
Maimela said teenage pregnancy remained a significant challenge in South Africa and profoundly affected the lives of young girls and the broader society.
“Poverty, limited access to education, and inadequate health care contribute to the high rate of teenage pregnancy,” she said, adding that instances of sexual violence and cases involving older men increased the vulnerability among young girls.
“The committee plans to work collaboratively with other committees to address the matter and a draft concept document has been published to solicit public input on issues of teenage pregnancy and statutory rape.
“We are doing this jointly because it negatively affects young girls’ completion of school,” she said.
Maimela noted with concern that many of the affected victims became pregnant as early as 10 years as has been reported following the recent coverage on Christmas and New Year babies.
She said the matter called for a societal approach.
“Public input will be solicited in identified education districts and selected schools to improve the lived realities of learners who are the primary victims of statutory rape.
“Addressing teenage pregnancy in South Africa required a multi-faceted approach focusing on education, health care and community involvement to safeguard the rights and future of our young girls.”
Maimela said as a committee, they could not to just fold their arms and watch.
“We must play a role in curbing the prevalent social issues we are witnessing. We call on NGOs that assist in education, the likes of LoveLife to come to the table to come work with the committee and to work communities to ensure we curb the prevalence of teenage pregnancy.”
Asked how different their concept document on teenage pregnancy compared to other existing policies, Maimela said they had looked at various interventions aimed to deal with the scourge.
“We have been trying to deal with this problem. Seemingly we are not winning. What it evaluates are all the interventions that are in place. We interrogate the policy documents and the intervention over time,” she said.
“We are saying what is not working and what we need to improve to curb the prevalence of teenage pregnancy. It is not a policy position. We are to engage with various portfolio committees and stakeholder. We want to bring parents, teachers and all concerned parties, including learner representatives,” Maimela said.
Also speaking at the media briefing, health portfolio committee chairperson Sibongiseni Dhlomo said their committee would like to join in the initiative.
According to Dhlomo, there is evidence that youngsters who attend schools that participate in sports do not have enough time to fall pregnant.
“Those are things that need to be resuscitated,” he said.
“We would want to come in strongly to push these issues that are societal matters.”
He added that since teenage girls gave birth every day, the conversation on teen pregnancy shouldn’t be limited to December, when premiers and MEC visited hospitals to deliver gifts for Christmas and New Year babies.
“Today there is a 10 year old that gives birth. Let’s not wait for December to visit Christmas and New Year babies. Every day there is a teenager giving birth.”
He also discussed the issue of healthcare professionals reporting adolescent pregnancies to the police.
“Why is a mother not reporting this matter and waits for healthcare workers to report it? If we report, how many more will come next time to the clinic if they know there is a policeman that will arrest them or their boyfriends?” Dhlomo asked.
mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za