Sierra Leone president in talks over school ban on pregnant girls
Girls' education
鶹APP
Chernor Bah talks to Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma
Schools in Sierra Leone started to reopen last week 鶹APP eight months after being closed by the Ebola crisis. But as students started to return to their classrooms, one group was told they were not welcome.
Pregnant girls have been told to stay away by the country鶹APPs education minister. The ban outraged education and human rights campaigners, including A World at School co-founder and Sierra Leone native Chernor Bah.
In an effort to ensure that all girls get an education, Chernor has met President Ernest Bai Koroma. He said: 鶹APPI respect him for listening and for his willingness to explore solutions. I know he is committed to girls鶹APP education. And I鶹APPm committed to using all means necessary to achieve the dreams of education for our girls.鶹APP
The Ebola outbreak killed almost people 4000 in Sierra Leone. Millions of children missed out on their education for many months as the schools were closed. Reopening them signalled a return to normality for the West African country 鶹APP but the decision to bar pregnant girls has caused a storm.
It is estaimated that teenage pregnancies have doubled during the Ebola crisis, which would mean thousands of girls being denied an education in a country where only about 5% of people aged 15 to 24 said they used a condom the last time they had sex.
Girls in Sierra Leone gather during the Ebola outbreak Picture: Chernor Bah
Education Minister Minkailu Bah said last month that visibly pregnant girls . He was backed by Sylvester Meheux, chairman of the Conference of Principals, who said allowing pregnant girls to go to school 鶹APPwill encourage other girls to do the same thing鶹APP.
When he heard that, Chernor said that many girls were 鶹APPnot having sex out of choice鶹APP and added: 鶹APPThere is a lot of statutory rape that鶹APPs happening.鶹APP He said that in areas where four or five families area living in one compound and girls are not at school, this can lead to sexual activity. This 鶹APP coupled with very low rates of using contraception 鶹APP has led to a rise in pregnancies among young girls.
Last week Chernor. In it, he said: 鶹APPShow me one person who has seen a pregnant girl and thought, I also want to get pregnant. There鶹APPs simply no evidence of this 鶹APPinfluence鶹APP yet so far nothing has convinced Bah to reconsider his position.鶹APP
He added: 鶹APPIn a country with one of the highest adult illiteracy rates in the world, we should be busy building bridges for all to access education 鶹APP instead we are building walls and shutting out hundreds. That has to change.鶹APP
to demand all children have the opportunity to learn and achieve their potential in Sierra Leone. You can also or in the form below.
by A World at School Campaign Director Ben Hewitt on banning pregnant girls from school.
More news
