Should Pregnant Teens Be Allowed to Continue Attending Their High Schools While Pregnant

Pregnant learners should be allowed to remain in school – Briones

By Merlina Hernando-Malipot

To give them a chance to complete their studies, learners, who will find themselves pregnant while still in school, should never be turned away, Education Secretary Leonor Briones urged schools – both public and private.

Secretary Leonor Briones delivers her keynote address and highlights the Department's efforts to ensure the delivery of quality basic education to every learner in the country. (FACEBOOK / DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION / MANILA BULLETIN) — Secretary Leonor Briones (FACEBOOK / DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION / MANILA BULLETIN)

As a matter of policy, Briones noted that the Department of Education (DepEd) allows pregnant learners – particularly in public schools – to continue their studies. "We do not encourage schools to expel them," she said.

However, she also recognized that some private schools have their own policies and regulations.

"There are autonomous private schools so they have their own regulations but in general, we do not encourage expelling these learners," she added.

National social emergency

DepEd, along with the Department of Health (DoH), and other related government agencies and private organizations recently a summit on early pregnancy to help address this "pressing concern." Dubbed, "Kapit-Kamay: Empowering the Youth to Make Informed Choices," the first-of-its-kind summit to discuss and understand the education, health, and development dimensions of early pregnancy in forging multi-stakeholder consensus on ways forward.

During the summit, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia described teenage pregnancy as a "national social emergency" because of its implications not just on the economy, but in dimensions of education and health – among others.

"I commit to advocate for the President to issue an executive order acknowledging teen pregnancy as a national social emergency," he added.

In the same event, Briones reiterated that President Duterte, himself, was very concerned by implications of early pregnancy.

"The President, during a Cabinet meeting, has instructed us to organize this summit," she said.

Citing data from the 2017 Annual Poverty Indicator Survey, Briones noted that 57 % of female students were forced to drop out of school because of "family matters."

She noted that unlike before – when financial concerns or the cost of education – has been cited as the main reason for leaving school, "family matters" particularly early marriage and teen pregnancy – is now the leading cause of dropping out.

This, she noted, greatly affects employment because when a child drops out of school, there are lesser career opportunities available to them.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III focused on health dimension of early pregnancy – particularly of maternal complications and risks that teenage mothers face.

"Greater" risks of maternal complications like preterm deliveries and infant mortality during both pregnancy and childbirth await those who bear children in their adolescent years.

Briones also underscored the importance of "proper education" to help address teen pregnancy in the country.

"In DepEd, we're trying to put in what we described as 'liberating kind of education' and we're adjusting our curriculum to the new generation –the generation Z."

All the agencies also agreed that aside from education, cooperation of stakeholders and the community is key to address teen pregnancy.

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