JOHANNESBURG – A blind Kenyan schoolgirl who miscarried will be allowed to return to school once she recovers from her ordeal.
More than 13 000 girls drop out of primary and secondary schools in Kenya annually due to pregnancy and the challenges they face including poverty and disapproval from their conservative society.
Pregnant girls are banned from school and regularly prevented from returning unless they pass conditional reentry conditions.
But David Losil from Kaenguria School said his institution would allow the girl to resume her education after she was earlier rushed to hospital several weeks into her first term of pregnancy, the Standard reported.
“We discovered that the girl was pregnant barely two weeks after admitting her to the institution. We later learned that she miscarriage according to the medical report obtained from the hospital. But we are willing to re-admit her back to continue with her education,” Losil said.
Losil condemned whoever was responsible for impregnating the student saying it was abuse of a disabled person and that the incident had occurred outside of the school.
The police have arrested a suspect who has been arraigned after appearing in court.
Kenya is not the only African country to ban pregnant girls from school and make it difficult for them to return.
“In many African countries, pregnant girls and adolescent mothers are forced out of school and denied their right to education,” said Elin Martínez, children’s rights researcher at Human Rights Watch.
“While some progress has been made, the African Union needs to work closely with all its member countries to ensure that no girl is denied her right to an education because she becomes pregnant,” added Martinez.