by 
The authorities in Sierra Leone have been ordered by the Court of Justice in Nigeria, West Africa to revoke the ban on pregnant teens in Sierra Leone.
The ruling demands that teen mothers should no longer be discriminated against. They should be allowed to stay in school until graduation as they too have futures. These will give them better chances of sustaining themselves and their unborn. However, getting them to actually stay in school isn’t such an easy mandate.
Will the Ruling Actually Make a Difference?
The court in West Africa has now lifted the ban and ruled out any sort of unfairness against pregnant teens. But for these teenagers, the possibility of actually attending school willingly every day is intangible and can’t be managed in any way.
With regular morning sickness, perpetually missing classes and worst-case scenario, exams, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to actually graduate. Responsibilities including caring for a baby, making a living and going to school all together will too often outweigh their abilities. Also, they are psychologically embroiled in the fear of being stigmatized by their mates at school.
The lifting of the ban is therefore not likely to bring the majority of pregnant teenage girls in Sierra Leone back to the classrooms. To ensure a better future for these girls, it is important to combine it with guidance and flexibility from their schools. Posting of curriculum and assignments online can be part of the solution, making it easier to do part of their schooling from home.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for new posts on Africa and Business in Africa.
