New mum during KCSE: Magdalene narrates her experience
Apollo Linda
Apollo Linda
Prof George Magoha, Kenya’s Education Cabinet Secretary, 652 girls sat their 2020 KCSE exams in hospitals after giving birth. Bungoma county had the highest number, with 43 girls followed by Meru county at 38, Nakuru county at 36, and Nandi county at 31 to name but a few. The number of girls sitting their exams after giving birth was more than double that of 2019. This was contributed to the fact that students were home for 7 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Well, all was not lost as most of the girls who gave birth during the examination period got good grades. Despite the hardship that some of them had to endure, they emerged successfully.
Magdalene* gave birth while the exams were going on and she still managed to beat her classmates with a significant margin. She was in a local school in Transzoia county and she managed to score a B+ of 73 points. She gave birth to a baby boy on the day she was sitting her Kiswahili and Biology papers. “It was not easy but I am grateful to God for seeing me through. I want to pursue a Bachelors’s degree in Actuarial Science.” She said.
“We have been struggling to raise her school fees all through her high school education and I am glad that it has all paid off. I have seen the hand of God. She managed to do the exams after the principal of her school graciously allowed her to sit for the exams even with the huge fee balance that we had not yet cleared.” her father said.
Her dad was frustrated after discovering that his only daughter was expectant. This happened after he received a call from the school administration requesting him to report to school because of an urgent matter concerning his daughter. The school deputy principal broke the news to him. Despite his disappointment, he did not give up on his daughter. ” It was tough for us as a family. She weathered the storm and came out the other side successfully. I know she could have scored better grades but I thank God she has made it to the university. She has made us proud.” the father said.
The father of five said he would be glad if the daughter would get a scholarship.” Despite having conceived at a young age, she is a perfect example to other girls in the same situation as her that with every failure comes success to everyone who works hard. The siblings are also proud of her and the younger ones have taken it as a challenge to work harder and smarter even as the school term begins.” said the father.
” Balancing between my school work and being a new mother was not easy. I had to be a day scholar so that I could be able to take care of my son. I had to wake up pretty early to do my revision then express milk for the baby before I left for school. During the lunch break, I had to come back home to breastfeed before going back to school. This affected me psychologically as I felt like I was losing out as my friends could convene during the lunch break for revision while I had gone home to check on the baby. At times I could lock myself in the school lavatories and cry my eyes out before going back to class.
Although my classmates found out that I was expectant, they were kind and supportive to me and did not look down on me simply because I was pregnant. Instead, they helped me with revision and were with me every step of the way. Though some of them would sideline me, I did not let that get to me because I knew I had to pass my exams to redeem myself. I am also grateful to my teachers, the school administration, and my parents for not giving up on me despite the shame that I brought upon them. I am eternally grateful to them.” Magdalene said.
” My advice to younger girls who have fallen pregnant while still in school, do not give up on yourself. Keep working hard now that you have a baby looking up to you to provide for them. Teenage pregnancy is not the end of the road. You can still redeem yourself and make your family proud. If I did it, so can you. People will laugh at you, friends and classmates will make fun of you and even sideline you but pt your head down and work hard. Lastly, remember that through God all things are possible.” Magdalene said.
In an interview with Mrs. Gitau, a senior teacher of a local school in Nakuru East Zone explained the need to give second chances to the students.
“These are biological challenges that if one does not have control over it, then one may drop out of school. Teenage pregnancy has been rampant especially in the last few weeks. I would challenge the girls to aim higher because they are in charge of their life and especially to work hard. Sex is not bad but one needs to wait till it is the right time to engage in it. Think about your future ten years from now and decide what kind of life you want for yourself.” Mrs. Gitau appealed to young school girls to take care of themselves to ensure that they succeed in becoming great women in the future.
She also said that they work together with area chiefs and other stakeholders to rehabilitate teenage mothers back in school.
” Every child has a right to basic education. This does not exempt teenage mothers. They need to be shown love and encouraged to go back and finish their education.
Sidelining them is not the solution. As a county, we have put up strict measures on those who impregnate teenage girls.” Mr.Joseph Kiuna, Chief Officer Education, ICT and E-Government, Nakuru County told us.
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