79 pregnant girls participated in 2015 BECE in Upper East

daniel russell

July 1, 2015 4:30 PM

The Upper East Regional Director of education, Mr. Emmanuel Zumakpeh who made the revelation described it as an “epidemic” that needs a radical and collective effort to curb it.

About 79 pregnant girls and five (5) nursing mothers took part in the just ended Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Upper East Region.

Speaking to Citi News Mr. Zumakpeh said the Kasena-Nankana West recorded the highest number of 14, followed by Bongo with 13 girls, Bolgatanga 10 and Builsa North with 2. He lauded the Bawku Central Municipality, which recorded zero pregnancy.

He said though there are other reasons for this growing trend as compared to last year, lack of parental control, misuse of information technology couple with the fact that children are becoming more wayward and less prone to listening to advise from parents and elders.

Mr. Zumakpeh cited that “even at parent teacher association meeting, parents rather appeal to teachers to discipline their wards but when teachers do exactly that, parents take up issue and the issues of child rights comes up and teachers are been harassed so teachers have also kept mute on these matters.”

“So what do we do to those men or boys who impregnate these girls? They usually go and arrange marriages with them or collect certain items with the pretence of solving the problem and at that point what will the Ghana education service do?” he asked.

“We are getting new cases with the start of the BECE resit and the number is likely to increase including abortions.”

Mr. Zumakpeh urged the institutions like the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) should be well resourced to prosecute errand men and boys who impregnate these girls to serve as deterrent to others.

He wondered why with scholarship packages from Non-governmental organizations for the girl child in the region, the situation is getting worse. Mr. Zumakpeh assured that his outfit is discussing the issue of girl child education, teenage pregnancy, child marriages; school dropouts among others some NGO’s who will assist them in tackling the problem.

Credit: citifmonline.com

daniel russell