Learner gives birth at school
A grade 12 Tembisan learner gave birth to a still-born baby in her school's bathroom - during school time.
The Tembisa High School learner gave birth in the school bathroom, while a crowed of curious learners gathered outside the bathroom, trying to take photos of the scene.
Allegations are surfacing which suggest the learner may have induced early labour through ingesting pills. Owing to the sensitivity surrounding the incident, several facts are still unclear – including how many months pregnant she was. Police were called to the scenebut it remains to be seen if an investigation will be opened against the learner.
Teachers are tight-lipped about the incident, but one person, who wishes to remain anonymous, did say the foetus was already dead when the learner gave birth.
The Gauteng Department of Education is set to launch an investigation into the incident, but attempts to gain comment from the department’s spokesperson, Charles Phahlane, were unsuccessful.
This is not, however, the first time the issue of pregnant learners has been brought to the fore.
On November 30 last year, The Tembisan reported that principals and teachers in Tembisa are sitting on a time bomb, after it was discovered that some learners were heavily pregnant, while writing their exams. Parents complained, saying that one day classes will be turned into labour wards and will disturb other learners.
One student, who also wished to remain anonymous, said, “It was unfair for teachers to prevent us from seeing our colleague. After all, we have been telling them to stop pregnant learners from coming to school.”
Last year, one girl who was seen guarding her pregnant sister while writing exams, said she is blaming the government for promoting sexual activities through urging the youth to use condoms.
“What do you expect us to do after publicly teaching us how to ‘condomise’? That means we are allowed to have sex, but with condoms. But what happens is, after using it, you are tempted to try without it,” she said. At the time of going to press, efforts to contact the Gauteng Education Department’s spokesperson Charles Phahlane were fruitless.
