No girl should lose her future to early motherhood

The government’s decision to allow teenage mothers to return to school after childbirth is an important step towards protecting the right of every girl to education. But, as the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has rightly pointed out, a policy on paper is not enough.

The real test is whether teenage mothers can actually return to the classroom, remain in school and complete their education.

The Head of the Child Marriage Unit of the MoGCSP, Mrs Saphia Tamimu, has drawn attention to a major challenge facing the implementation of the ‘Back to School’ policy.

Many teenage mothers are unable to resume their education because they lack the support needed to care for their babies. This is a serious gap that requires urgent attention.

A young mother cannot be expected to concentrate on her lessons when she has no one to care for her child.

Many also face financial difficulties, stigma and pressure to abandon their education altogether.

That is why the ‘Back to School’ policy must go beyond simply giving teenage mothers permission to return to school.

 It must be backed by practical support that makes such a return possible.

Parents and guardians have an important responsibility. Where a teenage pregnancy has occurred, the response should not be to punish the girl by permanently shutting the door to education.

 Denying her the opportunity to rebuild her future only compounds the problem.

Families must provide the care, encouragement and protection necessary for these young mothers to continue their education.

Communities, too, must replace stigma with support.

Government also has a responsibility. If Ghana is serious about achieving a zero per cent child marriage rate by 2030, as Mrs Tamimu indicated, interventions must address the circumstances that push girls out of school and into early marriage and motherhood.

The reported 16 per cent child marriage rate, based on 2022 Ghana Statistical Service data, should not be treated merely as a statistic. Behind it are girls whose childhoods and educational opportunities may have been cut short.

Traditional and religious leaders have an equally important role to play.

As the Regional Gender Officer for the Upper East Region, Ms Charity Batuure, observed, culture itself should not be treated as the enemy.

Ghana has many cultural practices that promote discipline, personal hygiene and responsible living. The challenge is to preserve those practices while confronting those that undermine the rights, health and dignity of children.

The proposed framework by the MoGCSP to guide engagement with traditional and religious leaders at the community level is therefore welcome. However, it must be practical, properly resourced and implemented consistently.

The Ghanaian Times holds that preventing child marriage and teenage pregnancy cannot be left to the government alone.

Parents, chiefs, religious leaders, schools, health workers and communities must all play their part.

At the same time, prevention must go hand in hand with rehabilitation. Girls who have already become mothers must not be forgotten.

Government should strengthen support for teenage mothers through childcare arrangements, counselling, financial assistance where necessary and closer collaboration between schools, families and community leaders.

The Ghanaian Times therefore calls on all stakeholders to make the ‘Back to School’ policy work in practice, not just in principle.

Teenage motherhood may change a girl’s circumstances, but it must not determine the rest of her life.

Every girl deserves a second chance to learn, grow and fulfil her potential.

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