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Between March 2020 to April 2021, thirty-five (35) Senior High School students in the Suhum Municipality in the Eastern region have delivered while seven are pregnant.
The SHS girls are from the Islamic Girls Senior High School which recorded 15 deliveries and 4 pregnancies.
Suhum Technical Senior High Schools (SUTESCO) also recorded 8 deliveries and pregnancies and the Suhum Presbyterian Senior High School (PRESEC) recorded two deliveries and 2 pregnancies, reports by Accra-based Starr FM stated.
Esther Quaye, the Suhum Municipal director of Education speaking during the inauguration of the 'Municipal Advocacy Platform for Back to School campaign taskforce' said at the basic level, five students ages 12 to 20 years were impregnated during the period.
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According to her, some pupils have dropped out of school in the Suhum Municipality to engage in other economic activities such as Okada, hawking, selling on the streets, immoral activities among others.
In June 2021, the headmistress of the Kwahu Nkwatia Presbyterian Senior High School, Mrs Cythia Anim, has reported the worrying situation in the Eastern region.
She said most of the girls in JHS and SHS returned to school pregnant, with some donning engagement rings.
"Some female students returned to school pregnant and wearing engagement rings. They got impregnated and were forced into marriage. But the policy says you cannot sack them from the school. So I allowed them to stay in school. I only asked them to remove the rings. In all this, it will get to a stage they will drop out of school when the belly protrudes," she stated.