Student
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Research Problem Early pregnancy is not a new problem in Tanzania and has often sparked national debate. A school girl makes an unwise decision. Or she is coerced into having sex against her will by means of physical force, economic pressure or peer pressure. She becomes pregnant. The father may be a school-boy, a teacher a “sugar daddy” or even a relative. What will this mean for her future? On February, 10th 2011 during a National Assembly session, an official from the opposition party ‘Civic United Front’ (CUF), challenged the deputy minister of education hanourable Mwantumu Mahiza, to explain the measures taken by the government to reduce the number of girls falling pregnant at school. Mahiza said that his ministry is preparing new laws and policies to address the issue, adding that six percent (6%) of girls leave school each year due to pregnancy.(Tuesday,21 February 2011,The Citizen ). According to ministry of education statistics, 28,600 girls left school between 2004 and 2008 because they were pregnant. At secondary level the figures are alarming, in 2007 one in five girls fell pregnant and did not finish school. For example, in the Shinyanga region (Western Tanzania), parents threaten to throw their daughters out of their homes if they attend high school. In some remote areas of the country, children as young as eleven (11) years old are pregnant. Some blame the Marriage Act of 1971, which legalized marriage between a man and a 14- year-old-girl. For some parents the dowry they receive when marrying their daughter is a significant source of income. For- instance, a total of forty one(41) female students in Longido District, primary and secondary schools have dropped out of school due to pregnancy. According to District Education Officer [DEO] for Longido District Council, Supeet Mseyu, the statistics are for 2007 up to 2009 period where 36 of the drop-out were secondary school students. Makanya
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Research Problem Early pregnancy is not a new problem in Tanzania and has often sparked national debate. A school girl makes an unwise decision. Or she is coerced into having sex against her will by means of physical force, economic pressure or peer pressure. She becomes pregnant. The father may be a school-boy, a teacher a “sugar daddy” or even a relative. What will this mean for her future? On February, 10th 2011 during a National Assembly session, an official from the opposition party ‘Civic United Front’ (CUF), challenged the deputy minister of education hanourable Mwantumu Mahiza, to explain the measures taken by the government to reduce the number of girls falling pregnant at school. Mahiza said that his ministry is preparing new laws and policies to address the issue, adding that six percent (6%) of girls leave school each year due to pregnancy.(Tuesday,21 February 2011,The Citizen ). According to ministry of education statistics, 28,600 girls left school between 2004 and 2008 because they were pregnant. At secondary level the figures are alarming, in 2007 one in five girls fell pregnant and did not finish school. For example, in the Shinyanga region (Western Tanzania), parents threaten to throw their daughters out of their homes if they attend high school. In some remote areas of the country, children as young as eleven (11) years old are pregnant. Some blame the Marriage Act of 1971, which legalized marriage between a man and a 14- year-old-girl. For some parents the dowry they receive when marrying their daughter is a significant source of income. For- instance, a total of forty one(41) female students in Longido District, primary and secondary schools have dropped out of school due to pregnancy. According to District Education Officer [DEO] for Longido District Council, Supeet Mseyu, the statistics are for 2007 up to 2009 period where 36 of the drop-out were secondary school students. Makanya
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