Radio Islam News | 05 April 2017

Whilst most of their peers would be grappling with phonics, multiples and plurals, a shocking 193 South African pupils in Grades 3, 4 and 5 fell pregnant between 2014 and 2016, it has been revealed.

The damning information came to light in an official response to a Democratic Alliance parliamentary question.

If learners from Grade 6 and 7 who fell pregnant are taken into account‚ that number jumps to 1449, it was added.

“This information should shock every South African‚” the DA’s MP and basic education portfolio committee member Sonja Boshoff said in a statement.

“Young girls‚ most under the legal age of 16‚ are having their futures undermined‚ likely through being taken advantage of or abused‚” Boshoff said.

There was no immediate clarity on the exact ages of the pupils involved.

Boshoff said further urgent questions would be submitted to ascertain whether these girls were under the age of 16‚ and if so‚ if any charges have been instituted against those responsible.

The parliamentary reply showed that 18 357 pupils fell pregnant in 2014, 15 504 in 2015, and 8 732 in 2016.

The picture could yet be worse as the Department of Basic Education was unable to provide statistics for pupils in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. According to past trends, these two provinces account for larger numbers of school pregnancies, a total of 6 477 in 2014 and 5 178 in 2015 combined.

“It is vital that the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, provide these missing numbers as a matter of urgency so that a realistic and honest assessment can be made and solutions can be found,” the DA said.

In January, the Financial Mail reported that with ongoing concerns including perceptions of dwindling morality and safety emanating from the public schooling sector, a record number of parents in South Africa had begun considering alternative educational choices.

“As the public-school sector lurches from crisis to crisis, there’s an education revolution taking place in SA: home schooling,” the article titled Why SA parents are turning to home schooling read.

“This once-niche practice is generating increased appeal, along with its associated spin-offs such as learning and tutor centres”.

Estimates of the number of home schoolers in South Africa, according to the article, ranged from 50 000 to 400 000 pupils.