A Bill seeking to support teenage mothers and child parents to continue their education while caring for their children has been introduced in the Parliament.
The Care and Protection of Child Parents Bill, 2023, seeks to provide a framework for the care and protection of child parents and to provide a framework through which an expectant girl child or a child parent may actualise their right to basic education while ensuring the care of their children.
The bill was sponsored by nominated senator Miraj Abdillahi Abdulrahman (Nominated) who sponsored the bill. It was also co-sponsored by Kericho County Member of Parliament MP Beatrice Kemei in the National Assembly.
Following the bill’s approval in the Senate, the Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, and MP confirmed Kemei’s role as co-sponsor, responsible for marshaling its consideration in the National Assembly.
Clause 6 and 7 of the Care and Protection of Child Parents Bill mandates National and county governments to develop programmes that identify and re-enroll students who have dropped out due to pregnancy and being a child care giver. It also calls for the establishment of alternative educational options.
If the bill is approved, counties will be expected to establish childcare centers near schools for children less than three years near schools to support student mothers and care givers.
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Purity Gikunda, founder Greenland Girls High School in Kajiado County which enrolls teenage mothers from around the country said the bill is long overdue.
She noted that putting up of centres will give the teenage mothers enabling environment to study allowing many girls enroll back to school.
The director noted that the girls face stigma and discrimination from the community who take them as failures, they are forced to hide their children for fear of being rejected hence they do not enroll back to school.
Teenage mothers should be given a second opportunity to learn while raising their children. The problem has been who should take care of their children when they are in school.
Many teenage mothers have dropped out of school because schools refuse to accommodate them.
By Obegi Malack
obegimalack@gmail.com
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