Who allowed pregnant girls back into schools: Mliswa

Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has expressed shock that the law which allows pregnant girls to go back to school was passed.

Mliswa said he was not aware that it had gotten the node because most parents and legislators had rejected the move.

The law signed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa a few months ago and is based on the need to try and give equal opportunities to boys and girls.

Previously, girls who would fall pregnant would not be allowed back to school, while some of the boys who would have impregnated them are allowed to continue.

This did not go down well women and girl-child activists who argued that the boy child was enjoying unfair advantage over the girl, hence the enactment of the law.

Speaking in the National Assembly, Honourable Mliswa said the issue of allowing pregnant back to schools is the one that necessitated calls to give contraceptive to 12 year-old girls.

“There seems to be a law which is creating problems, which I do not know how it was made because there was a robust debate against it and I do not know how it sneaked in. This august House has a mandate of making laws.

“Section 68 (6) of the Education Amendment Act Chapter 25:04 says that there will be no exclusion of pupils for non-payment of school fees or for the basis of pregnancy.

“We had a robust debate in this House – both sides, and I am surprised that it is a law – unless if my memory does not serve me correctly. At what point was it made a law when people were against the girl-child attending school when they were pregnant.

“This has led to contraceptive pills which are now being said anybody under 18 can now have access to them. I for one need to be educated and be told at what point this law was passed because debate had actually gone against girl-child who is pregnant attending school,” he said.

Mliswa added that Parliament is an institution which is there to make laws for good governance of the country and not laws that create problems.

“I was one of the people who debated and many others about the girl-child not going to school when they were pregnant believing that schools cannot be maternity centres.

“So, I do not know. If my memory can be refreshed, I would appreciate that but as a legislator, because we debated against it, I do not know how it was passed,” he said.