Shock as 14 girls from 1 boarding school fall pregnant

FOURTEEN Form Four pupils from a single school in Binga are alleged to have fallen pregnant while writing their final examinations from a bush boarding facility.

The pupils from Sinakoma Secondary School were staying at bush boarding facilities while writing their finals at Manjolo Secondary School.

Speaking during the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against GenderBased Violence in Kariyangwe, Binga district development officer Mr Richard Mudimba said he was shocked to learn that 14 pupils from an annex learning institution, Sinakoma Secondary School in Nsenga under Chief Sinakoma, had fallen pregnant.

“We had a meeting last week (two weeks ago) in Sinakoma where I got the disturbing news about pupils who were discovered to be pregnant after their Form Four exams,” Mr Mudimba said.

He said Sinakoma Secondary School is still an annex and pupils sit for their final exams at the nearest secondary school.

“These pupils are said to have been caught in such a situation following their stay at a nearby school, Manjolo Secondary,” Mr Mudimba said. “Parents of the children said the pupils were lured into engaging in wild behaviour when they were away while writing the exams.”

Mr Mudimba said during exams, children travel to Manjolo Secondary School where they stay as bush boarders.

“We understand the distance from Sinakoma area to Manjolo is about 12 kilometres. It’s impossible for pupils to walk that distance everyday to sit for exams and return home afterwards,” he said.

Mr Mudimba, said it will be difficult for the 14 girls to pass considering that instead of reading, they were engaging in love affairs.

“We cannot expect good results from such a school where a total of 14 girls have been impregnated during exam time,” he said.

Mr Mudimba pleaded with villagers especially adults and male teachers to respect school going pupils and not lure them into sexual activities as it remains a major reason why the district is failing to develop.

“I plead with the Government to come up with punitive measures against men who are found to be sleeping with and impregnating school girls,” he said.

“Child marriages are increasing everyday such that children in rural areas are being affected the most.”

Mr Mudimba encouraged villagers to monitor their children and ensure that they are not being abused.