The plight of pregnant learners in South Africa has been thrust into the spotlight, following alarming revelations from the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) presented to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education. As part of the 2020-2025 Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the CGE has flagged serious concerns over the discrimination faced by pregnant students in the nation’s educational institutions.
Dr Dennis Matotoka, CEO of the CGE, reported that some schools are effectively sidelining pregnant learners, instructing them to return only after giving birth or mandating that they be accompanied by parents or guardians during school hours. This form of discrimination was part of a broader examination of the Department of Education’s National Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Schools, which Matotoka argued is fundamentally lacking.
“South Africa recorded 97,143 teenage births in 2017, highlighting a crucial factor that obstructs educational outcomes for girls and has life-long implications,” stated Matotoka during the briefing. He further called out the absence of robust data to underpin the policy, suggesting that it is bogged down with vague claims and questionable foundations. “The current policy is primarily concerned with how teenage pregnancy affects government logistics rather than safeguarding students’ rights to education,” he added.
The CGE’s representative emphasised that the existing guidelines fail to include clear implementation and actionable strategies for pregnant learners, leaving them vulnerable to discrimination across the educational system. Notably, the report also discloses that discrimination affects young girls as young as Grade R—the final stage of pre-school—pointing to systemic issues that can have long-lasting repercussions.
Further compounding these challenges, a staggering 30% of young girls reportedly miss school during their menstrual periods, with inadequate access to sanitary products cited as a critical barrier. This shortfall disproportionately affects girls with disabilities and those residing in rural areas, exacerbating an already dire situation. Despite government efforts to classify sanitary pads as essential, the issue remains unresolved.
The CGE has urged School Governing Bodies (SGBs) to take action in combating discriminatory practices that contribute to student absenteeism and retention issues. To achieve meaningful change, the Commission has made several recommendations aimed at strengthening policies to ensure equal educational access, improve retention of girls in schools, and enhance re-entry measures for those returning to school post-pregnancy.
In closing, the Commission’s findings highlight an urgent need for systemic change within South Africa’s educational policies—an imperative to uphold the right to education for all, irrespective of personal circumstances.
