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The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) welcomes the announcement that the Teenage Pregnancy Policy that was recently approved by Cabinet will be implemented from January in 2022.
This will allow female learners who are pregnant to continue with their education as do male learners who impregnate them.
Early, unplanned learner pregnancies subject girls to socio-economic hardships, and the termination of their education during that stage, exacerbates the situation by diminishing their future economic and employment prospects.
Also read: What caused the 'double pandemic' of teenage pregnancy during Covid-19 in South Africa?
The CGE also applauds the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) for its decisive action to hold a plenary after 33,000 young girls fell pregnant in 2020.
The meeting, which is underway today, is a positive step in addressing the rape crisis, teenage pregnancy and measures to deal with the scourge.
Statistics point to around 120 000 learners falling pregnant every year.
The Commission will be monitoring the implementation plan and will where necessary, engage both the DBE and Provincial Departments of Education.
Submitted by the Commission for Gender Equality.
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