Zimbabwe recorded over 4,500 school dropouts in 2023 due to pregnancy, with rural areas disproportionately affected.
Government statistics reveal a concerning trend of 4,557 girls dropping out of school last year due to pregnancy. Of these, 3,942 were from rural schools, while 615 were enrolled in urban schools. Alarmingly, 134 of these pregnant students were still in primary school.
Just last month, 16 students from Monozi Primary School in Mbire District were unable to sit for their Grade Seven Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) exams due to pregnancy.
Moses Mhike, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, expressed deep concern over the issue, particularly in districts like Shamva and Mbire, where mining activities contribute to the problem.
“The pregnancy rate for our school-going girl teenagers is a cause of concern for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education as well as the Government. If you remember recently, there was a video clip posted by The Herald where about 10 teenage girls had dropped out of school for marriage in Mbire, that is not a good thing,” he said.
Mhike also added that the ministry, in collaboration with other government departments and partners, has developed strategies to address teenage pregnancies and school dropouts.
“As a ministry, we have come up with a policy to ensure that even if a child becomes pregnant, she is still able to go back to school and continue with her education. We have made this position clear to provincial education officers, district schools inspectors, and school heads.
“We are also pleased to announce that we have engaged some chiefs, particularly in areas where child marriage was culturally accepted. We seem to be making progress, as some chiefs have declared that no child will be married off in their areas of jurisdiction,” said Mhike.
