New bill seeks to give teenage mothers second chance at life

Girls who drop out of school due to early pregnancies will be readmitted to continue with their education if a new Senate Bill becomes law.

The Care and Protection of Child Parents Bill, 2023 sponsored by nominated Senator Miraj Abdillahi will give hundreds of female pupils a second chance to continue with their education.

“Every child who, while enrolled in an institution of basic education and training, falls pregnant and as a result drops out of school, or is of school-going age but falls pregnant while out of school, shall have the right to be readmitted or enrolled into an institution of basic education and training,” the bill says in part.

In her bill, Miraj proposes students who get pregnant while still in school will have access to pre-natal, post-natal health information and counselling support services.

Miraj says where a child falls pregnant, or a teacher or person in authority within an institution of basic education and training has a reason to believe a child within the institution is pregnant, the matter should be referred to the principal of the institution.

“The principal shall, upon receipt of the information and before any action is taken, inform the parent or guardian of the child’s pregnancy,” the bill says.

First reading

Where the principal of the institution of basic education is of the opinion that a child may be pregnant, the principal would be required to refer her to a health institution for a medical examination and such other health examination as may be necessary to determine the status.

A child will not be compelled to undergo a medical examination where she refuses to undergo the examination, according to the proposed law.

The Bill, which is due for introduction in the Senate for first reading, further compels county and national governments to put in place policies to prevent child pregnancy and school dropouts.

“The Bill imposes an obligation on the national and county governments to put mechanisms in place and establish programmes that ensure that not only is this right realized in relation to teenage parents, but also ensure that the rising cases of teenage pregnancies and the dropping out of school by teenage parents is curbed,” the Bill says.

It stipulates that counties will establish such child-care centres and implement such programmes as may be necessary for the provision of child care services to parents who intend to go back to school and who do not have access to support services for the care of their child.

“Education CEC shall collaborate with the Council (National Council for Children’s Services) in the provision of such technical assistance, information and facilities as may be necessary to ensure the efficient delivery of social services with respect to expectant children and child parents within the county,” it states.

The national government, the Bill states, will put in place mechanisms to help establish a comprehensive capacity-building programme for child parents to ensure they practice responsible parenting.

Right to education

According to Miraj’s proposal, the government will be required to formulate policies for the readmission and integration of children who have dropped out of school due to pregnancy.

“The State shall also collaborate with the relevant stakeholders in the establishment of dropout prevention programmes. Each institution of basic education and training shall develop a management plan for the support of any learner who falls pregnant while enrolled in the institution,” reads part of the bill.

It also proposes that the national and county governments develop and implement a plan for identifying and re-engaging children who have dropped out of institutions of basic education owing to teenage pregnancies.

“The Bill provides a framework for the implementation of the right to education for all children including teenage parents,” it says.