Stigma and lack of policy structures have been identified as the greatest impediments to re-entry and retaining of student teenage mothers in schools around Siaya County.
The county’s Imarisha Msichana project coordinator Everlyne Amunga has observed that despite numerous sensitization efforts, teenage girls who have opted to go back to school still face a lot of stigma from their fellow students and the community at large.
“We have done a lot as an organization in terms of sensitization in Siaya County but the teenage mothers are still called derogatory names by their classmates or even viewed negatively by the community, which has not only discouraged some of them but also contributed to some opting out of school forever,” Amunga disclosed.
According to Kenya Demographic Health Survey 2022 report on teenage pregnancy, Siaya County ranks 4th nationally at 21 per cent in the high number of girls dropping out of school.
Imarisha Msichana project, implemented by the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) in conjunction with Mastercard Foundation, aims at reducing cases of teenage pregnancies as well as ending early child marriages with keen focus on re-entry of teenage mothers back to school.
Amunga further observed that lack of policy and support structures has also negated their efforts in retaining the teenage mothers in school since there is no clear strategy to assist them to transit to the next career level.
“We have begun working on a policy which is being developed by education stakeholders in the region that will see to it that the teenage mothers are not only retained in school but also that their children are supported to ensure they fully focus in school. The policy will also spell out how the teenage mothers will be supported to transit to the next level of their careers,” she said.
Amunga disclosed that the programme has yielded fruit with many girls who had initially dropped out of school due to unwanted pregnancies opting to go back to school.
“We work with various schools in Siaya County like Rambira Girls in Rarieda Sub-county and Nyaguda and Nyamonye girls in Bondo sub-counties to ensure that our girls get a second chance in life and the impact has been significant and teenage mother’s opt to rejoin various schools across the region,” she said.
The county project coordinator advised the public and students to shun stigmatization of teenage mothers but instead give them support as a strategy of alleviating poverty in the region.
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By Erick Nyayiera
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