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The growing lack of desire by teenagers who get pregnant to continue their education, even after giving birth, remains a worry.
The situation has been described not only as a threat to the future of teen mothers but also to the growth of their communities.
To reverse the trend and change the stance of the teen mothers, the Coalition for Maternal Health and Citizen Empowerment (CMCE) and Actionaid Ghana organized a seminar at Kenyasi for teen mothers and their parents in the Asutifi North and South districts in the Ahafo Region to sensitise them on the need to continue schooling or learn a trade after delivery.
The event was attended by Queen Mothers, representatives from the Ghana Education Service, Social Welfare, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the Clergy, and some teen mothers who are excelling because they returned to school or learned a trade after delivery, irrespective of what they went through.
Mahama Salaam, the Executive Director of CMCE, expressed worry over the increasing teenage pregnancy cases in the two districts and the subsequent no desire to further their education thereafter.
According to the Ghana Health Service figures, 1,077 teenagers delivered babies at various health facilities in the Asutifi South district from 2018 to 2020.
Mr. Salaam hinted that per their survey, if the situation does not change for teenage mothers to be willing to continue schooling or learn a trade, they may not have improved lives in the future, hence the seminar to ensure they do not become redundant.
“We brought the teen mothers together to educate them on the need to go back to school or learn a trade after delivery to enable them to earn incomes to support themselves”, he said.
He further said they brought teen mothers who returned to school or learned a trade to share their experiences with those currently pregnant and also for parents to know the opportunities available to support their children.
“The government has a policy known as the “Re-entry Policy” that allows pregnant teens to go back to school without being disallowed”.
Some teen mothers, including a student nurse, who saw the need to continue her education after delivery, urged those in similar situations not to allow pregnancy, while in school, to move them away from their dreams of a successful future, but as a means to strive and become self-reliant.
They agreed that the best way out of the situation is never to consider deserting school or not learning a trade.
Miss Victoria Damtsewa Amoah, Girls’ Education Officer at the Asutifi North District, said they would continue to work with the guidance and counseling units, parents, and the girls to ensure they take full advantage of the re-entry policy to remain in school while pregnant, deliver and return to continue their education.
The Queen Mothers, on their part, pledged their support to ensure that the pregnant teens either return to school or learn a trade.
Source: myJoy
