What if Magufuli's decree on pregnant students were applied in Kenya?

What if the Magufuli decree was to be applied in Kenya? We caught up with some ladies who, despite getting pregnant while in school, managed to overcome all odds and carried their pregnancies to full term, gave birth to their babies, and after a few months went back to class to complete their studies.

You by now have encountered the controversial remarks by Tanzanian President John Magufuli that his administration would not allow school girls who get impregnated back to school.

“There are many things that girls, who are impregnated can do after delivery; they can join VETA (Vocational Education Training Authority centres), they can learn sewing but they can’t go back to school,” President Magufuli is recorded to have said. The President went on to argue that if such girls were to be allowed back to school, then they would encourage other girls to engage in teenage sex.

Fiona Okadia is currently a fourth year student at Daystar University and the founder of Amira Africa, a platform that seeks to motivate, elevate, and encourage young mothers.

Okadia gave birth to her son when she was only 20-years -old, and in her first year of university.

“At that time I was in a state of confusion. I had lost hope. I was in a lot of emotional turmoil and thought that my life was over. If only I knew then what I now know,” says Okadia.

According to her, she had to stop going to school for a whole year to await the arrival of her baby and also take care of him once he was born.

With the support of her parents who stood with her, however, she managed to go back to school when her son turned five-months-old. She left him under the care of her parents.

According to Okadia, being a young mother comes with a lot of challenges but nothing matches up to the societal stigma that can cause one literally give up on themselves.

“I know that the directive issued by President Magufuli that girls who get pregnant should not be allowed back to school is probably meant to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in Tanzania, which it will but probably only the ones we see. However, on the flip side, a number of these girls will opt to procure abortions if they find themselves in this situation, not to mention the amount of stigmatisation that will surround the few who take the bold step of keeping their babies regardless of this directive,” she says.

From an economic point of view, Okadia says such a directive would affect the country since a number of girls who get impregnated while in school will remain illiterate; condemned to a life of poverty. In the long run, these citizens will be unable to economically participate in the growth of Tanzania.

For Stella Wanyonyi, the script is almost the same, only that she got pregnant while in high school.

“I remember I was just 17. I had been dating this college guy for about two years.

“It was in December 2004 when I conceived. After the long holiday, I went back to school in January the following year not knowing I was pregnant. In fact, I was going back as a form four candidate. The first three months went on well for me. Since I was used to having irregular periods, I didn’t feel anything was amiss when they failed to show up. After all, we used to be told that one could miss their period due to change of climate or diet.

According to Stella, after the fifth month, her stomach started bulging. Still, she was too daft to think that she was pregnant until the school matron summoned her and told her that it was evident that she was pregnant.

Luckily for Stella, the school allowed her to continue studying till seven months into the pregnancy. She got the best support from her classmates and the school principal as well as the staff.

“After the seven months, her mother was called to pick her up from school.

“I cried because she was the one who paid my school fees by then and I felt so bad to have disappointed her. She never said a word to me - either to reprimand or encourage me. We arrived home and facing my dad was even worse. He literally operated as if I never existed. I think he was the one who was mostly affected since we never spoke until my son turned one,” she says.

After she gave birth, Stella went back to school to sit for her national exams. She went on to pursue a degree in Information science and is currently pursuing CPAs. Her son is now in class seven.

“I am glad that my mother was there to support me even when things seemed difficult. I would never propose a law that denies a girl child education. If I was told to get married to the man who made me pregnant by then and halt my studies, I don’t know what would have become of my future. Every girl, no matter the mistakes they may make along the way, deserve an education so that they can have a bright future,” says Stella.

Anne Andisi, 22, is a new mother of a two months old baby. She got pregnant unexpectedly in her first year of university while pursuing a Bachelor of Education (Arts). She still hopes to resume her studies in September so as to build her future.

“I believe that even girls who fall pregnant while in school should be allowed to carry on with their studies. It’s never easy when you have a young baby to take care of, but if you have supportive parents who are ready to pay your school fees and the father of your child values the importance of education, then do not let that chance slip away,” says Andisi.

Esther Irungu, who also got pregnant while in form two at the age of 16 terms Magufuli’s decree is a very outdated and misplaced perspective of addressing teen pregnancies. Had I been denied the chance of going back to school, I wouldn’t have achieved what I have through education,” says Irungu who graduated last year with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Political Science from the University of Nairobi.

She adds: “Instead of discriminating the young girls, they should be left to make the choice on whether they want to go back to school or join the Vocational Education Training Authority centres the President is talking about. This is stigma towards the girls and yet the boys who impregnated them are left to continue with their studies. Such a decree should not be allowed in any civilised state.”