File photo of some BECE candidates
The 2021 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) has commenced and as usual, the media have been visiting examination centres across the country to report on proceedings at such centres.
Over the years, media reports have often included the number of pregnant teenage girls writing the test. For once, the media should stop this age-old practice of putting these young girls in the spotlight.
These girls, as can be easily imagined, have defied various odds to come forward and write the examination even in their condition and the least that media practitioners can do is to use their various platforms to encourage the girls to continue their education.
For a very long time, the Ghanaian media have been unfair to the girl child. None of the media report on the number of male candidates who had impregnated girls and were sitting for the examination however the spotlight has always been on the girl child.
Actions like these discourage young teenagers from writing the examination. Some may drop out of school and even decide to give up on their education just because of the negative reports in the media. This must stop.
One of the fundamental principles of journalism is humanity which enjoins journalists not to do harm by what they publish but should rather be aware of the impact of their words and images on the lives of others.
In the recent past, pregnant school girls were sacked from school, and others were prevented from writing examinations. Gratefully, following the advocacy of stakeholders, parents, and civil society organizations for gender inclusiveness the practice has largely reduced. Pregnancy should never be a barrier that denies the girl child access to education.
Beyond allowing pregnant schoolgirls to write examinations, I wish to suggest to corporate institutions to adopt appropriate child support measures as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to render the needed assistance to the girl child.
Additionally, local authorities should rollout effective programmes that will educate the girl child on the importance of advanced education. These interventions will help increase women’s enrollment in higher education, scale-up gender inclusiveness and reduce school dropouts.
In all these, parents should not give up on their daughters who for some reason get pregnant along the way. They should not be too hard on them but rather be their source of motivation.
If society stops the unnecessary criticism and mockery of these girls it will play an important role in ensuring that they return to school after delivery. We have a role to play in keeping all girls in school; pregnancy should never end the dreams of the teenager. Let us all extend a hand of understanding.