This
decision
is
part
of
a
set
of
regulations
gazetted
by
Primary
and
Secondary
Education
Minister
Torerayi
Moyo
on
Friday,
14
February,
through
Statutory
Instrument
13
of
2025.
Section
12
of
the
regulations
mandates
that
if
a
girl
becomes
pregnant,
the
school
must
provide
psycho-social
support
to
help
her
through
the
process.
It
reads:
Where
a
girl
who
is
a
pupil
at
a
school
becomes
pregnant,
the
school
head
—
(a)
shall
inform
the
parents
of
the
girl
as
soon
as
possible
if
they
are
not
already
aware
of
the
pregnancy,
(b)
shall
facilitate
psycho-social
supportive
services
to
the
girl
and
parent,
(c)
if
the
girl
and
her
parents
so
wish,
the
girl
shall
be
permitted
to
remain
at
school
for
as
long
as
possible
before
the
delivery
of
her
child,
and
to
return
thereafter
as
soon
as
her
health
and
the
health
of
her
child
permit
it.
In
an
interview
with The
Independent,
Majongwe
said
that
allowing
pregnant
learners
in
school
is
akin
to
rewarding
indiscipline.
He
said:
While
there
are
some
positive
takeaways
from
the
recently
gazetted
education
regulations,
such
as
the
protection
of
the
girl
child
and
ensuring
that
the
impregnated
girl
is
not
the
only
one
punished
by
banishing
her
from
attending
school
while
the
perpetrator
is
left
free,
there
are
some
provisions
that
raise
more
questions
than
answers.A
close
look
at
the
document
gives
the
impression
of
making
schools
ungovernable.
The
government
is
creating
a
situation
whereby
it
will
be
difficult
to
discipline
learners.
It
seems
to
reward
indiscipline.A
learner
who
gets
pregnant
is
‘rewarded’
by
being
given
special
care
rather
than
emphasising
discipline.The
issue
of
allowing
pregnant
girls
in
schools
defies
logic.
If
a
child
engages
in
sex,
it
is
grounds
for
expulsion
from
school,
but
if
they
get
pregnant
as
a
result
of
that
sex,
they
are
to
be
given
psychosocial
support
and
asked
to
remain
in
school.
Majongwe
emphasized
the
need
for
proper
teacher
training
to
effectively
address
the
complexities
introduced
by
the
new
regulations. He
said:
Will
the
government
train
teachers
to
handle
these
pregnant
learners,
because
it
requires
special
skills
to
deal
with
such
delicate
cases?
Psychosocial
support,
as
mentioned
in
the
document,
is
no
mean
task.The
government
has
heaped
another
extra
load
on
teachers,
who
are
already
grappling
with
heritage-based
curriculum
demands
such
as
school-based
projects.Schools
will
be
expected
to
create
“maternity
wards”
in
order
to
accommodate
those,
who
may
develop
complications
at
school
as
a
result
of
pregnancy.