Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo REDUCTION OF ADOLESCENT PREGNANCIES AND RE-ADMISSION OF PREGNANT SCHOOL GIRLS AS A STRATEGY FOR ACHIEVING EDUCATION FOR ALL (EFA) GOALS IN TANZANIA Background A third of Tanzania’s population is young people between 14 and 24 years, with more than half of them in school. At the same time, Tanzania has one of the highest adolescent pregnancy rates in the world affecting the girls’ health, education, future employment and reaching their full potential in life. Every year around 8000 girls drop out from school due to pregnancy. These facts are shown clearly below: Almost a quarter of all girls between the ages 15-19 are already mothers or have begun childbearing. (THDS 2004/05). 23 percent of all maternal deaths are among young pregnant girls. Unmarried adolescent girls are far more likely to become pregnant unintended and thus pregnancies are more likely to end in induced abortion. (THMIS 2007/08), which sometimes can have deadly consequences. Every fifth Tanzanian girl has no education at all and only 14 percent of girls have completed secondary school education or higher (THMIS 2007/08), affecting their chances for employment and standard of living. For every two boys or men there is only one girl or a woman in higher education institutions (THMIS 2007/08). Realising this anomaly, the Government of Tanzania developed a two-prong approach through the development of a new National Adolescent Reproductive Health Strategy 1 Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo (2010-2015) that aims at strengthening policy, legal and community environment for sexual and reproductive health information, services and life skills for adolescents and increasing adolescent’s access and utilization of those services. The strategy is also intended to bring about effective and efficient coordination among various programmes and actors dealing with adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive health. In addition, the Government has developed guidelines for the re-admission of pregnant school girls after delivery. Both the strategy and the guidelines have not yet been implemented. Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancies, Particularly Among School Girls The challenge Despite the Government's will to work on the two so as to speed up gender equity in education, the approval process and hence the implementation has been slow. The new National Adolescent Health Strategy has yet to be disseminated to implementers, very few stakeholders know about it and it has remained in the Government shelves and it could be the case for a long time if no concerted effort is made to have it widely shared. Adolescent sexual and reproductive health has been a taboo subject for decades and it has not been easy to break through to allow more open discussion of the matter. Currently only the secondary schools’ curriculum includes topics such as HIV and the reproductive system. These topics are part of biology subject. Life skills are usually embedded in extra curricula activities. Moreover, not all schools have teachers who have been trained in teaching the topics. At home, most of the HIV and 2 Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo life skills programmes are managed by NGOs or specific projects. Most of the time, parents have inadequate skills to discuss sexual and reproductive health issues with their children; and even when they have such skills, they are not expected to discuss with their children such issues. Consequently, provision of adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive services will not be an easy task. Some organisations, e.g. PASHA (Prevention and Awareness at Schools of HIV/AIDS), have developed effective peer education programmes for adolescents that can be modeled by others. Also, UNICEF is working with Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) and the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) in establishing TUSEME (Lets Speak Out) clubs in primary and secondary schools to create discussion forums for both girls and boys for gender issues in and out of school. These clubs are also used in developing assertiveness, negotiation skills, positive judgement and other life skills, but with very little reference to sexual and reproductive health, particularly at the primary school level. Social norms in play Looking at the above scenario, one can easily see that there a number of social norms in play that would not allow smooth implementation of the National Adolescent Health Strategy, which aims at educating adolescents on sexual and reproductive health for prevention of both teen pregnancy and STIs, including HIV: 3 Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo Norm Situation Implementation strategies Parents and teachers do Empirical evidence from Reports on practice from not need to provide sexual neighbouring countries neighbouring countries and reproductive health shows that when parents and studies conducted in education to children. and teachers collaborate in Tanzania have not been Children will learn in due teaching of life skills to widely shared. There is time about sexuality and children (age specific need to share them among reproductive health; modules), there are teachers, parents and other systematic education or positive outcomes, stakeholders, especially development of skills is particularly reduction of government officials, not essential and can lead teen pregnancy (Namibia, politicians and religious to early sexual debut Zimbabwe, Zambia, leaders, through media and because children would Kenya and Malawi). targeted information experiment the knowledge Studies conducted among sharing networks. Also they have. adolescents in Tanzania create networks for (Mainland) show that imparting the knowledge adolescents with more widely, such as knowledge of life skills discussion forums through and sexual and the local government reproductive health system, parents’ groups, education delay sexual teachers’ groups and debut and are more likely school clubs. It is not clear what is guiding the norm and hence it would be good to enquire whether this is a: 1. Normative expectation with sanctions teachers and parents are afraid of teaching children sexuality and reproductive health since they can face sanctions from other members of the society such as bad naming and to practice safer sex. During the development of the strategy it was assumed that both teachers and parents will work together in educating the child on sexuality and reproductive health through the school 4 Unpacking of the National Adolescent Health Strategy for different education levels and age ranges in adolescence; e.g. 10-13 years, 14-17 years, etc. Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo Norm Situation Implementation strategies being considered curriculum in carrier uncultured. subjects, such as biology, 2. Conditional preference as well as proper whereby teachers and socialisation by parents parents conform to this and the extended family by rule because they think using the life skills that a large part of the development approach. population conform to However, when it comes the rule of not teaching to teaching of reproduction their children about in biology, less sexual and reproductive contentious examples of health. fish or frog reproduction is 3. Descriptive norm - use; anything that teachers and parents resembles human conform to protect reproduction is avoided. children from immodest Children are protected knowledge that can be from information that detrimental to their parents and teachers think development. is immodest. Development of agespecific materials for parents, teachers and other stakeholders to impart the knowledge to children, as well as for self-learning and to enhance behavioural change, including delay of sexual debut. The teaching and learning can be done in small groups of trust networks for both adults and children. In-service and pre-service training of teachers of carrier subjects that have life skills and sexual and reproductive health components to be educated on how to recognise the skills through application of participatory teaching and learning methods. Analysis of network systems for information sharing and trust building among teachers, parents, 5 Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo Norm Situation Implementation strategies government officials, politicians, religious leaders and children. Strengthening of children’s participatory machinery, including school committees and councils, school clubs and out-of-school organisations, so that they can have a forum for peer discussion on sexual and reproductive health and life skills. Abstinence or self- Many girls are coerced to The shaming strategy has regulation in sexual have sex by older men, been working as the activities, especially girls, even though the blame is incidence of trans- so that they do not get usually on the girl for generational sexual pregnant before being loose. However, a activity is decreasing but is completing primary or recent study showed that being replaced by intra- secondary school (Most there is an increase in generational one. Hence, tertiary-level education sexual activity among the shaming strategy alone institutions do not expel peers. This could be will not solve the problem their students as they are explained partly by the of teen pregnancy and considered to be young current expansion of ward more needs to be done to women rather than girls). secondary schools which ensure that older men stay are far from children’s away from girls – beyond homes, without proper the shaming; since young boarding facilities or men are getting the girls This is a normative expectation as children 6 Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo Norm Situation Implementation strategies face sanctions for being hostels, boys and girls rent and the older men might involved in sexual rooms in small towns with feel that they are losing activities. unsteady and shifting out, e.g. giving more rural-urban culture. positive messages of Consequently, the number protecting all children as of secondary-school girls done through the First who get pregnant and Lady’s Campaign – more hence expelled/drop-out of citizen ownership of such school has been increasing campaigns. in the last two years. More open discussion on Campaigns to shame older sexual and reproductive men who have sexual health and the role of life relations with girls, skills development is popularly known as crucial in protection of “Fataki” has been going on children, especially girls. through the mass media The norm stated above of and magazines that target protection through young people. Also, the withholding information First Lady’s initiative about sexuality has been “Treat every child as your counterproductive in this own” [Mtoto wa mwenzio case. There is need to ni wako] has been used in share information through this regard. On the other formal channels, such as hand, not much has been classroom interaction but done to understand the also through trust networks shift to peer sexual activity and school clubs and out- among adolescents. of-school activities for young people, as some of the young people that have 7 Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo Norm Situation Implementation strategies relations with girls and boys who are in school have already completed school. Re-admission of Pregnant School Girls Understanding the problem As far as the re-admission of pregnant school girls is concerned, we should understand why girls get pregnant. Factors leading to teenage pregnancies are multiple and inter-linked. Poverty is one of the leading underlying causes. In order to meet their basic needs, upscale their living conditions, and/or get money, clothes or school fees some young girls engage in sexual relationships with older men who do not want to have children with the young girls, but use them for their sexual enjoyment. These relationships often lead to unwanted and unplanned pregnancies, forcing girls often into unsafe abortions. Also, many young girls become pregnant because they lack appropriate and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights education within the educational system and at home. Yet when a girl gets pregnant she is accused of misbehaviour and thus is expelled from school and sometimes from the home too. This infringes on the girls right to education, besides perpetuating gender inequalities in education, especially higher education as many girls drop out before they finish secondary school. Tanzania has been party to Education for All (EFA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and has incorporated them in the overall development policy, the 8 Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (popularly known by its Kiswahili acronym, MKUKUTA) and the revised Education and Training Policy, that provides for re-admission of pregnant school girls, as a strategy to ensure that all girls have the opportunity to complete basic education. Consequently, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training has developed guidelines for the re-admission. The guidelines, however, have yet to be endorsed by the relevant authorities and there is already some resistance from highly influential quarters, especially political and religious leaders, despite wide acceptance by the general public (80% of those who participated in public debates were for the re-entry of pregnant school girls and even during the July 2009 session of the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania the majority of members were in agreement). Moreover, some of the neighbouring countries, Kenya, Malawi and Zambia, already have re-admission policies and despite ensuing problems, it is practiced with some success; and in Zanzibar girls have been continuing with schooling even if pregnant, as long as they are married. The right for an unmarried pregnant school girl is still jeopardized and hence many parents marry their girls early in fear of both shame of out-of-wedlock pregnancy and expulsion from school1. Social norms in play Even though many adults were in favour of re-entry of pregnant school girls during the public debates that were conducted in eight education zones in 2008/09, there were some reservations as to whether they should join their previous schools or go back to formal education. As there are a number of religious organisations and NGOs 1 It should be understood that education is not a union matter and hence the guidelines will be applicable only to Mainland Tanzania and not Zanzibar. 9 Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo that run special centres for such girls, most of those who participated in the debates were in favour of girls completing education in such centres, rather than re-joining formal education institutions. Some children also showed some resistance for pregnant school girls to join their schools; they no longer viewed them as children, but called them young mothers. However, it was observed by the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training that the centres are few and mostly urban-based. Therefore, it is provided in the guidelines that the parents and the child can decide on the best institution to re-join after delivery. Norm Situation Children should complete The Education Act (1978, There is need to study basic education. as amended in 1995) and carefully whether the near Education and Training consensus on acceptance of Policy (1995) provides for re-admitting pregnant school free and compulsory basic girls from the public debates education for all. Though is something that the in previous Education and majority of the people Training Policy (1995) believe in and are ready to basic education was implement or it is out of fear defined as primary of sanctions from existing education only, in the laws and policies. The revised Education and findings from the study will Training Policy, which assist in having an will probably come out in appropriate strategy towards 2011, recognises basic sustained re-admission policy education as both primary and practice. This is a legal norm as parents and other adults who have infringed this norm have been sent to court and legal action has been taken against them including paying fines and jail sentences. The near consensus agreement on re-admission of pregnant school girls could have been partly influenced by this fact. Implementation strategies and secondary education. Establishment of discussion networks, formal and informal, for education 10 Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo Norm Situation Implementation strategies functionaries, parents, other stakeholders (religious leaders, politicians, etc.) and adolescents on the implementation of the guidelines will assist in creating trust as well as support systems. Children are persons who The Tanzania Child Act There is need to create are under 18 years, despite (2009) gives a clear awareness of the definition of any other status (child- definition of a child as a the child to communities, in mothers/fathers, married person who is under 18 order to bring change in how children, working children, years. The act which is they view different types of etc.) and their right to very much linked to the children (child- education should not be Convention of the Rights mothers/fathers, children infringed. of the Child (CRC) living in the streets, working recognises the children, married children, unconditional right of the etc.) through the media and child to education. discussion groups in and out This is a legal norm which has yet to be observed. The mechanism for its of school, local government implementation is not yet Some adults and children in place. Due to awareness do not consider children raising activities done who have given birth to be through the caucus of still in that category and Establishment of rules and children’s rights hence do not want them regulations through organisations in the media back in their schools or participatory methods that and in targeted discussion formal education system, will ensure proper during the enactment of but they can join special implementation of the Child the bill, the definition is centres or non-formal Act (2009) and enforcement quite well known though education classes, under of the re-admission there are still pockets of the Complementary Basic guidelines, including setting 11 structure and parents’ organisations and groups. Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo Norm Situation Implementation strategies resistance to this new Education for Tanzania of a monitoring and definition, especially when (COBET) programme. evaluation mechanism at the it comes to recognising local government level child-mothers/fathers as through existing participatory being children themselves. machinery at that level that will be linked to the central information management systems of the Government. Enhance child participatory mechanisms, such as student councils, TUSEME clubs and out-of-school organisation to provide a forum for open discussion and support systems to adolescents. Conclusion From the discussion above we see that implementation of both the new National Adolescent Reproductive Health Strategy (2010-2015) and the Guidelines for Readmission of Pregnant School Girls after Delivery (2010) will need not only educating the staff in education system (teachers, education officers and other functionaries), parents and other stakeholders (politicians, religious leaders and local government functionaries), but also the adolescents themselves so that they can participate and benefit from them. Moreover, there is need to strengthen participatory mechanisms at all levels for follow up and ensuring stability in action. 12