Pregnant KZN learner returns to school after being ‘expelled’

The mother of an ‘expelled’ pregnant teenager is breathing a sigh of relief after her daughter was allowed to return to school to write her exams.

It is alleged that the 16-year-old Grade 9 learner from a school in Clermont, KZN, was expelled as the school code of conduct allegedly doesn’t allow pregnant learners on the premises.

She was allegedly told to return next year, after her baby is born.

Speaking to The Witness on Monday, she said she received a call from the principal saying that her child must return to school.

“On Friday, she was allowed to [go to] school as she was writing examinations. The principal indicated that I should find someone to accompany her as she was writing and also not wearing the school uniform,” said the mother.

She said she is ecstatic as it was her wish for the child to be allowed to continue attending school throughout her pregnancy.

The letter

In a letter sent to the Education MEC, Mbali Frazer, last week, the DA KZN chief whip and education spokesperson Dr Imran Keeka urged the MEC to address the issue promptly, and deal with ‘the prejudice, discrimination, and psychological harm at the hands of those who run the school in this vile and repugnant manner’.

“The pupil was allowed to take an exam, [but] she was segregated from all other pupils like a leper.

“The school went further to instruct her that when she arrived for the examination [last week], she was not even allowed to be in her school uniform. In other words, she must be dressed in ordinary casual wear and not the school uniform,” Keeka wrote.

He pleaded with the MEC to investigate thoroughly and prevent further humiliation and the injustice meted out at this school. “If I were you, I would charge this principal and his school governing body (SGB), if the SGB was involved, for the contravention of Section 5(1) of the South African Schools Act, Section 9(3) of the Constitution and Section 8(f) of the Equality Act.

“I would suspend him and subject his SGB to training [again if they were involved]. I am also of the view that any admission policy or code of conduct that contravenes these parts of our legislation is illegal and unconstitutional and must be re-written.”