The ManicaPost
Susan Nyamangodo Post Correspondent
THE new Education Amendment Bill, which allows female students to be granted maternity leave and resume studies after giving birth has received thumps up from women organisations in Manicaland.
The new bill seeks to amend Section 4 (2)(b) of the Education Act by repealing it and inserting a new provision that ensures that no child is discriminated against by the imposition of onerous terms and conditions in regards to his or her admission to any school on the grounds of nationality, race, colour, tribe, place of birth, ethnic or social origin, language, class, religious belief, political affiliation, opinion, custom, culture, sex, gender, marital status, age, pregnancy, disability or economic or social status, or whether they were born in or out of wedlock.
This provision is in line with Section 56 (3) of the Constitution on the right to equality and non-discrimination.
Women organisations like the Women Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ), Zimbabwe Women Bureau (ZWB) and Women Action Group (WAG) have thrown their full weight behind the bill as it adds to the empowerment of young girls.
WCOZ Mutare chapter chairperson Mrs Selina Mariwangepo said every child has the right to education without any hindrance and discrimination.
“Education is a human right that is enshrined in the Constitution, which grants every child, despite any factor like pregnancy, to attend school and it is a mandatory.
“Following the currently raised issues on gender balance, no one should be excluded from school. There should be equal allocation of resources between men and women, and the girl child should not end up failing due to her exclusion from lessons,” she said.
Mrs Mariwangepo added that there was serious concerns about the girl child’s vulnerability, hence their deliberate move to support any initiative that empowers young girls.
“We stand with the girl child so as to empower them. We support the new Education Bill because it allows students to be granted maternity leave and resume their studies after giving birth so as to catch up with her boy counterpart,” she said.
Zimbabwe Women Bureau (ZWB), which advocates for the inclusion of women in economic issues, believes the girl child can be adequately recognised only if given the opportunity to pursue her education without unconditionally.
ZWB official Mr David Sigauke had this to say: “It was indeed a great move as it empowers the girl child in terms of her education despite the factor of falling pregnant. This means that the child would make decision to proceed with school rather than dropping out of school, and statistic-wise 80 percent of school drop outs are girls who would have fallen pregnant.”
WAG, an organisation whose work centres on empowering women and girls to enjoy their rights in violence-free and rights-conscious environment, vouched for the new bill saying it makes the girl child feel appreciated and not discriminated against.
“All children, including pregnant girls and young mothers, have a right to continue with their education during humanitarian crises, or to participate in accelerated education programmes if they have been out of school for a long period,” said Mrs Mariwangepo.
While the organisation are fully supportive of the bill, they have expressed reservations on some of the provisions which they feel disadvantage the girl child.
They, for instance want punitive action for teachers that engage in sexual relationships with female students as this will disturb them from pursuing their dreams.
