Come home with a degree, not a baby – Limpopo mayor

When a student gets bursary to further their studies, they must come back with a qualification – and not a baby.

That’s the message from a Limpopo mayor who doesn’t want government funds to be misused by student who fall pregnant and drop out from the studies.

Fetakgomo/Tubatse local municipality mayor Eddy Maila told bursary recipients: “When we give you this money, we expect you to come back home with certificates, deplomas or degrees. Don’t come back with babies.”

The municipality has offered bursaries to cover accommodation, tuition fees, books and a monthly stipend to 12 financially struggling students.

ALSO READ: Concern as teenage pregnancies rise in Limpopo

New mothers struggling with studies

Maila said recent statistics have shown that students who have children often struggle with their studies.

This was due to high levels of stress, financial difficulties and health problems, he said.

“When you come back after graduating, we want to see you working in this town, in this municipality as directors and managers,” he said.

“We want you to become ambassadors of this municipality. We also want to see you participating fully in our local economy.”

ALSO READ: DNA test reveals Limpopo man did not impregnate 13-year-old girl

A global issue

According to a study by the National Library of Medicine, pregnancy and parenting in tertiary institutions was a worldwide concern.

The number of pregnancies among students, the study said, was increasing globally, adding that about 16 million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 around the world became mothers while still at school and two million girls under the age of 15 were reported to be pregnant every year.

“South African universities continue to report high rates of student pregnancies and are looking for solutions to the crisis that female students are facing,” said the study.

“The Library said that according to a recent study conducted at a university in Gauteng, pregnant and parenting students require emotional, academic, and social support from the university and other stakeholders.

“It said the university should offer on-campus medical services such as antenatal care and provide academic support for pregnant and parenting students to help them achieve their academic objectives.”

ALSO READ: Over 600 Limpopo schoolgirls fall pregnant annually

You don’t need to dropout

University of Limpopo’s Turfloop campus spokesperson Victor Kgomoeswana said the dropouts do not necessarily affect students at higher education, though.

“You will remember that since the advent of the vicious Covid in 2019, students were given the choice to study either virtually or in person,” he said.

“Even if they get pregnant, they are not compelled to leave school and dropout, they can still continue with their studies until graduation. But we do know that some students often perform below expectation when pregnant.”

NOW READ: UJ student takes us through her journey as a teenage mom