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Teenage pregnancies drive school dropouts in Matebeleland South
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More than 100 female learners dropped out of school in Matebeleland South during the second quarter of this year, with teenage pregnancies emerging as the leading cause, official statistics have revealed.
Figures presented by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education at a National AIDS Council (NAC) stakeholders' meeting in Gwanda show that 115 girls and 27 boys left school between April and June.
Of the female dropouts, 66 were linked to teenage pregnancies, 24 to illnesses, 20 to child marriages, and five to financial difficulties.
"Understanding the reasons behind learners dropping out of school is crucial for developing targeted interventions. Economic factors, early pregnancies, and primary responsibilities remain the main drivers of educational discontinuation," reads part of the ministry's report.
Stakeholders at the meeting called for intensified efforts to combat teenage pregnancies and early marriages, which they said are undermining educational retention.
NAC Matebeleland South monitoring and evaluation officer, Mrs Sarah Hove, said keeping young people in school was central to HIV prevention efforts.
"School-based programmes provide vital platforms for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information. These interventions create safe spaces for young people to access information and services, while also reducing stigma and discrimination," she said.
She added that universities and colleges remained a critical demographic for HIV prevention. During the second quarter of 2025, 6 248 students were reached with HIV prevention information, 59 peer educators were active, and 216 students — 201 female and 15 male — accessed HIV services.
The figures come against the backdrop of national statistics showing worrying levels of teenage pregnancies and child marriages. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, 8 900 adolescent girls from eight districts sought antenatal care last year, with more than 6 800 delivering at home or in health facilities, while six died during delivery. Alarmingly, nine children under the age of 10 were reported pregnant in Chipinge, Mutare, Insiza, and Chegutu districts.
Official data shows child marriages and teenage pregnancies are most prevalent in rural communities, particularly in resettlement areas, mining zones, border regions, and among religious sects. Last year alone, Beitbridge recorded over 30 000 child marriages, Insiza 20 872, Chipinge 12 863, and Murehwa 2 976.
According to the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, Mashonaland Central has the highest prevalence of child marriages at 50 percent, followed by Mashonaland West (41,7 percent), Mashonaland East (37,8 percent), and Manicaland (36 percent). Bulawayo has the lowest rate at 13,5 percent.
These figures have prompted the Government and its partners to scale up interventions. The "Not in My Village" campaign, spearheaded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), NAC, and the Young People's Network on Health and Wellbeing, is being rolled out in hotspot districts to raise awareness and mobilise communities against child marriages and teenage pregnancies.
The initiative supports the goals of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which seeks to build a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society by 2030.
Figures presented by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education at a National AIDS Council (NAC) stakeholders' meeting in Gwanda show that 115 girls and 27 boys left school between April and June.
Of the female dropouts, 66 were linked to teenage pregnancies, 24 to illnesses, 20 to child marriages, and five to financial difficulties.
"Understanding the reasons behind learners dropping out of school is crucial for developing targeted interventions. Economic factors, early pregnancies, and primary responsibilities remain the main drivers of educational discontinuation," reads part of the ministry's report.
Stakeholders at the meeting called for intensified efforts to combat teenage pregnancies and early marriages, which they said are undermining educational retention.
NAC Matebeleland South monitoring and evaluation officer, Mrs Sarah Hove, said keeping young people in school was central to HIV prevention efforts.
"School-based programmes provide vital platforms for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information. These interventions create safe spaces for young people to access information and services, while also reducing stigma and discrimination," she said.
She added that universities and colleges remained a critical demographic for HIV prevention. During the second quarter of 2025, 6 248 students were reached with HIV prevention information, 59 peer educators were active, and 216 students — 201 female and 15 male — accessed HIV services.
The figures come against the backdrop of national statistics showing worrying levels of teenage pregnancies and child marriages. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, 8 900 adolescent girls from eight districts sought antenatal care last year, with more than 6 800 delivering at home or in health facilities, while six died during delivery. Alarmingly, nine children under the age of 10 were reported pregnant in Chipinge, Mutare, Insiza, and Chegutu districts.
Official data shows child marriages and teenage pregnancies are most prevalent in rural communities, particularly in resettlement areas, mining zones, border regions, and among religious sects. Last year alone, Beitbridge recorded over 30 000 child marriages, Insiza 20 872, Chipinge 12 863, and Murehwa 2 976.
According to the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, Mashonaland Central has the highest prevalence of child marriages at 50 percent, followed by Mashonaland West (41,7 percent), Mashonaland East (37,8 percent), and Manicaland (36 percent). Bulawayo has the lowest rate at 13,5 percent.
These figures have prompted the Government and its partners to scale up interventions. The "Not in My Village" campaign, spearheaded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), NAC, and the Young People's Network on Health and Wellbeing, is being rolled out in hotspot districts to raise awareness and mobilise communities against child marriages and teenage pregnancies.
The initiative supports the goals of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which seeks to build a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society by 2030.
Source - The Chronicle
