SHOCKER : 14 form four girls fall pregnant in one school during exam period

A massive 14 form four pupils from a single school in Binga - Sinakoma Secondary School reportedly got pregnant while writing their final examinations from a bush boarding facility.

Speaking during the commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence in Kariyangwe, Binga district development officer Richard Mudimba said he was shocked to learn that 14 pupils from an annex learning institution, Sinakoma Secondary School in Nsenga under Chief Sinakoma, had fallen pregnant.

"We had a meeting last week (two weeks ago) in Sinakoma where I got the disturbing news about pupils who were discovered to be pregnant after their Form Four exams," Mudimba said.

 He said Sinakoma Secondary School is still an annex and pupils sit for their final exams at the nearest secondary school.

"These pupils are said to have been caught in such a situation following their stay at a nearby school, Manjolo Secondary," Mr Mudimba said. "Parents of the children said the pupils were lured into engaging in wild behaviour when they were away while writing the exams."

"We understand the distance from Sinakoma area to Manjolo is about 12 kilometres. It's impossible for pupils to walk that distance everyday to sit for exams and return home afterwards," he said.

"We cannot expect good results from such a school where a total of 14 girls have been impregnated during exam time," he said.

"Child marriages are increasing everyday such that children in rural areas are being affected the most."

Mr Mudimba encouraged villagers to monitor their children and ensure that they are not being abused.